 |
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting, Television |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Fate | Acquired by Tribune Broadcasting |
| Successor | |
| Headquarters | Greenwich, Connecticut, United States |
Key people | Michael Finkelstein |
Renaissance Broadcasting, founded in 1982 by Michael Finkelstein, was a company that owned several UHF television stations, it was sold to Tribune Broadcasting in 1997. The company was headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Renaissance Broadcasting began operations in February 1982 under the name Odyssey Media Partners, a partnership headed by Greenwich businessman Michael Finkelstein with the purchase of WATR-TV in Waterbury, Connecticut, an NBC affiliate that was nearing disaffiliation after New Britain-based WVIT upgraded its transmitter to cover the whole state of Connecticut. For the previous five years or so, the Hartford/New Haven television market had been without a general independent station after the donation by RKO General of WHCT-TV to Pastor Ray Schoch's Faith Center in 1972. That station gradually evolved from a mix of about 15 hours a day of general entertainment and religious programming from 1973 to mostly religious shows and on the air about 8 hours a day by 1977. Dr. Eugene Scott took over Faith Center in 1975 and WHCT was only running Doctor Gene Scott programming by 1981. This left a massive hole in the market and the rise of cable television had Connecticut viewers watching independent stations from New York City and Boston; however, a hole for a locally-based independent station in the market—the largest without such a station—existed. However, the Hartford/New Haven market still had 2 NBC affiliates.
When WATR-TV's affiliation with NBC expired in March 1982, the station filled that hole and took on the new calls of WTXX (now WCCT-TV), a general entertainment independent who would soon undergo their own upgrade to cover the entire state. As the only independent in the state, WTXX was an instant success and the success allowed Odyssey to sign on a second station, WDZL (now WSFL-TV) channel 39 in Miami, later that year. Unlike Connecticut, Miami had a more competitive TV market including an established VHF independent station and a wider variety of stations on the air. As a result, WDZL was profitable but not to the degree as WTXX had been.
The success of WTXX and WDZL led Finkelstein and partners to expand into other markets. In 1986, the group started buying existing stations, and reincorporated Odyssey Media Partners as Renaissance Broadcasting. That year, Renaissance would buy three stations: NBC affiliate WPCQ channel 36 (now WCNC-TV) in Charlotte from Group W, and independent stations WPMT channel 43 in York/Harrisburg/Lancaster from Idaho-based Mohawk Broadcasting and KTXL channel 40 in Sacramento from Camellia City Telecasters, the latter two of which became Fox affiliates in lieu of being outbid for the affiliation in Connecticut and Miami.
In 1987, after failing to acquire WTVJ channel 4 (now 6) in Miami upon CBS announcing plans to buy WCIX (which became a Fox affiliate), Telepictures (now part of Warner Bros. Television) opted to exit broadcast television altogether, selling its only station, Fox affiliate WPGH-TV channel 53 in Pittsburgh, which they purchased from Meredith Corporation in 1986, to Renaissance. The private equity firm Warburg Pincus became an investor at this time. Two years later, they sold WPCQ to the Providence Journal Company (which later merged with Belo Corporation).
In 1989, the Miami market was in for a huge shakeup: NBC purchased WTVJ and pulled its affiliation from WSVN channel 7, CBS purchased WCIX (now WFOR-TV) and moved its affiliation there, and the Fox affiliation moved to WSVN. Much of WCIX's syndicated programming moved to WDZL, as WSVN opted to go towards a news-intensive format like that of many Fox affiliates today.
In 1990, Renaissance put WPGH up for sale, because it was losing money from overpaying for programming so that WPTT channel 22 (now WPNT) could not air it. In August 1991, the Sinclair Broadcast Group bought WPGH, moved some of WPTT's programming there, and sold WPTT to its general manager, Eddie Edwards. WPTT then began airing Home Shopping Network programming nearly 24 hours a day, but in January 1992 Sinclair began managing the station through a local marketing agreement (or LMA), airing 10 hours of shows and movies that WPGH had no time to air, the deal became full-time by 1996, with Sinclair buying channel 22 outright in 2001
In 1993 Renaissance merged with Chase Broadcasting, which owned Fox affiliates KDVR channel 31 in Denver, WTIC-TV channel 61 in Hartford, WPTY-TV channel 24 in Memphis (now WATN-TV), WATL channel 36 in Atlanta, and WXIN channel 59 in Indianapolis.
The aftermath of the purchase of Chase led to the sale of several stations: WPTY to Clear Channel Communications, WATL to Fox, and WTXX to a Roman Catholic organization called Counterpoint Communications, the latter because duopolies were forbidden at the time. Renaissance wanted a full-time LMA with WTXX, buying most of its broadcast day—except for a couple hours in which air Catholic shows would air—but WTXX only wanted to sell eight hours per day while airing Home Shopping Network programing for 13 hours and religious shows the rest of the day. As a result, WTXX began an LMA with WVIT instead, airing cartoons and a few syndicated shows. WVIT's owner, Viacom, added UPN programming to WTXX in 1995, as Viacom had owned part of UPN, then in 1996 the LMA became full-time.
Meanwhile, in 1995, WDZL became an affiliate of The WB Television Network, and that same year Fox swapped its owned-and-operated station in Dallas/Fort Worth, KDAF channel 33, to Renaissance (in exchange for KDVR) after signing an affiliation deal with New World Communications, which owned CBS affiliate KDFW-TV channel 4, although Fox would buy New World a few years later, including a local marketing agreement with independent station KDFI-TV channel 27. KDAF then became a WB affiliate. KDAF kept Fox Kids (until 1997), all other syndicated shows, and added WB Network shows. Then in 1997, Renaissance sold the entire company to Tribune Broadcasting, including WTIC-TV, WDZL, WPMT, KTXL, KDAF, and WXIN. Also, in 1998, WVIT (which had been sold to NBC), decided to end the local marketing agreement with WTXX. WTXX's new LMA partner was—in all irony—WTIC-TV, which by then was owned by Tribune. Much of the programming airing on WTXX from the LMA with WVIT carried over, and WTIC bought some more shows as well.
Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and by city of license.
| City of license / Market | Station | Channel | Years owned | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CA | KTXL | 40 | 1987–1997 | Fox affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
| Hartford, CT | WTXX | 20 | 1982–1992 | The CW affiliate WCCT-TV, owned by Tegna Inc. |
| WTIC-TV | 61 | 1993–1997 | Fox affiliate owned by Tegna Inc. | |
| Denver, CO | KDVR | 31 | 1993–1995 | Fox affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
| Miami–Fort Lauderdale, FL | WDZL | 39 | 1982–1997 | The CW affiliate WSFL-TV, owned by the E. W. Scripps Company |
| Atlanta, GA | WATL | 36 | 1993 | MyNetworkTV affiliate owned by Tegna Inc. |
| Indianapolis, IN | WXIN | 59 | 1993–1997 | Fox affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
| Charlotte, NC | WPCQ | 36 | 1986–1988 | NBC affiliate WCNC-TV, owned by Tegna Inc. |
| Harrisburg, PA | WPMT | 43 | 1986–1997 | Fox affiliate owned by Tegna Inc. |
| Pittsburgh, PA | WPGH-TV | 53 | 1987–1991 | Fox affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group |
| Dallas–Fort Worth, TX | KDAF | 33 | 1995–1997 | The CW affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group |
WTTE is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, United States, airing programming from the digital multicast network TBD. It is owned by Cunningham Broadcasting, which maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of ABC/MyNetworkTV/Fox affiliate WSYX, for the provision of certain services. However, Sinclair effectively owns WTTE as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. Sinclair also operates Chillicothe-licensed CW affiliate WWHO under a separate LMA with Manhan Media. The stations share studios on Dublin Road in Grandview Heights, while WTTE's transmitter is located in the Franklinton section of Columbus.
WWHO is a television station licensed to Chillicothe, Ohio, United States, serving the Columbus area as an affiliate of The CW. It is owned by Manhan Media, Inc., which maintains a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Sinclair Broadcast Group, owner of ABC/MyNetworkTV/Fox affiliate WSYX, for the provision of certain services. Sinclair also operates TBD station WTTE under a separate LMA with Cunningham Broadcasting; however, Sinclair effectively owns WTTE as the majority of Cunningham's stock is owned by the family of deceased group founder Julian Smith. The stations share studios on Dublin Road in Grandview Heights, while WWHO's transmitter is located in the Franklinton section of Columbus.
WPNT is a television station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, affiliated with MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside Fox affiliate WPGH-TV. Both stations share studios on Ivory Avenue in the city's Summer Hill section, where WPNT's transmitter is also located.
WPGH-TV is a television station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group alongside MyNetworkTV affiliate WPNT. Both stations share studios on Ivory Avenue in the city's Summer Hill neighborhood, where WPGH-TV's transmitter is also located.
WSVN is a television station in Miami, Florida, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is the flagship station of locally based Sunbeam Television. WSVN's studios are located on 79th Street Causeway in North Bay Village, and its transmitter is located in Miami Gardens, Florida.
WWLP is a television station in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, affiliated with NBC and The CW Plus. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station has studios at Broadcast Center in the Sandy Hill section of Chicopee at the northwest corner of the I-391/MA 116/Chicopee Street interchange, and its transmitter is located on Provin Mountain in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam.
KDAF is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving as the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex's outlet for The CW. It is owned and operated by network majority owner Nexstar Media Group, although it is not considered the company's flagship station. KDAF's studios are located off the John W. Carpenter Freeway in northwest Dallas, and its transmitter is located in Cedar Hill, Texas.
WTNH is a television station licensed to New Haven, Connecticut, United States, serving the Hartford–New Haven market as an affiliate of ABC. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside MyNetworkTV affiliate WCTX, also licensed to New Haven. Both stations share studios on Elm Street in downtown New Haven; per a channel sharing agreement, the stations transmit using WTNH's spectrum from a tower in Hamden, Connecticut.
KXTX-TV is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving as the Dallas–Fort Worth market's outlet for the Spanish-language network Telemundo. It is owned and operated by NBCUniversal's Telemundo Station Group alongside Fort Worth–licensed NBC outlet KXAS-TV. Both stations share studios at the CentrePort Business Park in Fort Worth, while KXTX-TV's transmitter is located in Cedar Hill, Texas.
WTIC-TV is a television station in Hartford, Connecticut, United States, serving the Hartford–New Haven market as an affiliate of the Fox network. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Waterbury-licensed CW affiliate WCCT-TV. Both stations share studios on Broad Street in downtown Hartford, while WTIC-TV's transmitter is located on Rattlesnake Mountain in Farmington.
WCCT-TV, branded on-air as CW 20, is a television station licensed to Waterbury, Connecticut, United States, serving the Hartford–New Haven market as an affiliate of The CW. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Hartford-licensed Fox affiliate WTIC-TV. Both stations share studios on Broad Street in downtown Hartford, while WCCT-TV's transmitter is located on Rattlesnake Mountain in Farmington, Connecticut.
WSFL-TV is a television station in Miami, Florida, United States, affiliated with The CW. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside Ion Television owned-and-operated station WPXM-TV, also licensed to Miami. WSFL-TV's studios are located on Southwest 78th Avenue in Plantation, Florida; its transmitter is located in Andover, Florida.
WVIT is a television station licensed to New Britain, Connecticut, United States, serving as the NBC outlet for the Hartford–New Haven market. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Class A Telemundo outlet WRDM-CD. Both stations share studios on New Britain Avenue in West Hartford and transmitter facilities on Rattlesnake Mountain in Farmington, Connecticut.
WCTX is a television station licensed to New Haven, Connecticut, United States, serving the Hartford–New Haven market as an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Nexstar Media Group alongside ABC affiliate WTNH, also licensed to New Haven. Both stations share studios on Elm Street in downtown New Haven; per a channel sharing agreement, the stations transmit using WTNH's spectrum from a tower in Hamden, Connecticut.
WFSB is a television station licensed to Hartford, Connecticut, United States, serving the Hartford–New Haven market as an affiliate of CBS. Owned by Gray Television, the station maintains studios on Denise D'Ascenzo Way in Rocky Hill and a transmitter on Talcott Mountain in Avon, Connecticut.
WHPX-TV is a television station licensed to New London, Connecticut, United States, serving as the Ion Television affiliate for the Hartford–New Haven market. The station is owned by Inyo Broadcast Holdings, and maintains offices in New London and a transmitter on Rattlesnake Mountain in Farmington, Connecticut.
WTVJ is a television station in Miami, Florida, United States, serving as the market's NBC outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's NBC Owned Television Stations division alongside Fort Lauderdale–licensed WSCV, a flagship station of Telemundo. Both stations share studios on Southwest 27th Street in Miramar, while WTVJ's transmitter is located in Andover, Florida.
Paramount Stations Group was a company that controlled a group of American broadcast television stations. The company existed from 1991 until 2001.
CBS News and Stations is a division of the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global that owns and operates a group of American television stations. As of January 2021, the division owns 28 stations: 14 are the core stations of the CBS television network; eight are aligned with The CW Television Network, of which Paramount is a minority owner; five independent stations, and one primary-channel affiliate of the digital subchannel network Start TV. It also maintains a half-interest in Start TV, which is co-owned with Weigel Broadcasting.
NBC Owned Television Stations is the division of NBCUniversal Owned TV Stations (NBCUniversal), a subsidiary of Comcast that oversees the NBC owned-and-operated television stations, Cozi TV network, LXTV and Skycastle Entertainment, its in-house marketing and promotion company. NBCUniversal's Telemundo owned-and-operated stations are held in the separate Telemundo Station Group.