Midwest Communications was a broadcasting company based in the Upper Midwest United States.
The company's history dates back to August 1952, when it was formed as Midwest Radio and Television as a merger of WCCO (AM) and WTCN-TV. The company was a joint-venture of Mid-Continent Radio-Television (itself a partnership of the Saint Paul Pioneer Press and the Minneapolis Tribune Company, 53%) and CBS Corporation (47%). [1] While the radio stations went to a separate owner, WTCN-TV became WCCO-TV. [2]
The company expanded over the years, launching WCCO-FM (now KMNB) in the 1970s.
In the 1980s, Midwest Radio and Television bought ABC affiliate WFRV-TV in Green Bay and its satellite in Escanaba, Michigan, WJMN-TV (CBS did not initially take an ownership stake in either of those two stations at the time as they had good relations with then-CBS affiliate WBAY-TV). Midwest Radio and Television also bought KCMT in Alexandria, Minnesota and its satellite in Walker, Minnesota, KNMT. The stations' calls became KCCO and KCCW respectively, and the stations became satellites of WCCO-TV.
In October 1982, the company renamed itself Midwest Communications to reflect the company's expanded business that now included cable systems and two cable channels. WCCO II was also launched around this time to become an early local cable channel that would evolve into the regional sports network Midwest Sports Channel. [3]
In February 1992, the company merged with CBS, and WFRV/WJMN as well as WCCO became CBS owned-and-operated stations. [4] [5] Today, only the Minneapolis stations are retained by Paramount Global (WFRV/WJMN was sold to Liberty Media in 2007, then to Nexstar Broadcasting Group in 2011).
Midwest also owned the Midwest Sports Channel, which was originally associated with WCCO-TV. MSC became a CBS owned and operated network following its acquisition of WCCO. In 1999, shortly after CBS was acquired by Viacom, MSC was sold to Fox Sports Net, eventually becoming the current day Fox Sports North, along with later sister network Fox Sports Wisconsin.
Midwest Radio and Television was not associated with Midwest Television, which was ran by the estate of August C. Meyer Sr. and former owners of KFMB radio and television in San Diego, California, WCIA in Champaign and WMBD radio and television in Peoria, Illinois, nor Midwest Communications, which also has broadcasting interests in Northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Indiana, North Dakota and Tennessee.
KARE is a television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, serving as the NBC affiliate for the Twin Cities area. Owned by Tegna Inc., the station maintains studios on Olson Memorial Highway in Golden Valley and a transmitter at the Telefarm site in Shoreview, Minnesota.
KMSP-TV is a television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, serving as the Fox network outlet for the Twin Cities area. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside MyNetworkTV station WFTC. Both stations share studios on Viking Drive in Eden Prairie; while KMSP-TV's transmitter is located in Shoreview, Minnesota.
WCCO-TV, branded on-air as CBS Minnesota, is a television station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, serving as the CBS outlet for the Twin Cities area. It is owned and operated by the network's CBS News and Stations division, and maintains studios on South 11th Street along Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis; its transmitter is located at the Telefarm complex in Shoreview, Minnesota.
Liberty Media Corporation is an American mass media company founded by John C. Malone in 1991. The company has three divisions, reflecting its ownership stakes in Formula One, SiriusXM, and the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team.
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WWTC is a commercial radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota and serving the Twin Cities region. It is owned by Salem Media Group and broadcasts a conservative talk radio format.
KTCZ-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul radio market and Western Wisconsin. KTCZ airs a hybrid modern adult contemporary radio format. The station is owned and operated by iHeartMedia and has studios and offices on Utica Avenue South in St. Louis Park.
WBAY-TV is a television station in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Gray Television. The station's studios are located on South Jefferson Street in downtown Green Bay, with a Fox Cities news bureau on College Avenue on the west side of Appleton, just south of Fox River Mall; its transmitter is located in Ledgeview, Wisconsin.
WFRV-TV is a television station in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States, affiliated with CBS. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station maintains studios on East Mason Street in Green Bay, and its transmitter is located north of Morrison, Wisconsin.
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WLUC-TV is a television station licensed to Marquette, Michigan, United States, serving the Central and Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan as an affiliate of NBC and Fox. Owned by Gray Television, the station has studios on US 41/M-28 in Negaunee Township, and its transmitter is located on South Helen Lake Road in Republic Township southeast of unincorporated Republic.
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WCCO II was an early local cable channel serving the Minneapolis area. The channel was owned by Midwest Communications and meant to complement programming on broadcast station WCCO-TV.
Prime Sports Upper Midwest was an American regional sports network owned by Hubbard Broadcasting and Liberty Media, which operated as an affiliate of the Prime Network. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the channel broadcast regional coverage of sports events throughout the Upper Midwest region. Prime Sports Upper Midwest was available on cable providers throughout Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
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