Schurz Communications

Last updated
Schurz Communications, Inc.
Company type Private
Industry Broadband, cloud services provider
Founded1872
FounderAlfred B. Miller and Elmer Crockett
Successor Gray Television (television assets only)
Gannett (newspaper assets only)
Key people
Todd F. Schurz
(President and CEO)
Website www.schurz.com

Schurz Communications, Inc. is an American broadband media group and cloud services provider based in South Bend, Indiana. It previously owned newspapers and television stations.

Contents

History

The company was founded in 1872 by Alfred B. Miller and Elmer Crockett with the creation of the South Bend Tribune. Over the years, the company grew through the acquisition of other newspapers, media outlets, radio and television stations, digital companies, broadband operations and cloud services provider. The expanding company was renamed Schurz Communications Inc. in 1976, when the newspapers division and the TV/broadcast division were split into separate entities. [1]

Schurz Communications announced on September 14, 2015 that it would exit broadcasting and sell its television and radio stations, including the Rushmore Media Company stations, to Gray Television for $442.5 million. [2] [3] [4] Gray subsequently announced on October 1 that it would sell the KOTA-TV license to Legacy Broadcasting for $1, a deal that also includes the license for satellite station KHSD-TV and the station's subchannel affiliations with MeTV and This TV; [5] [6] [7] a month later, on November 2, Gray announced that HomeSlice Media Group would acquire the Rushmore Media Company radio stations for $2.2 million, reuniting them with KBHB and KKLS, which Schurz had sold to HomeSlice in 2014 as part of its acquisition of KOTA-TV. [8] [9] [10] Following the completion of these sales, Gray will retain KOTA-TV's ABC affiliation and transfer it to its existing television station in Rapid City, KEVN-TV; [6] it will also retain KOTA-TV satellite stations KDUH-TV and KSGW-TV and convert them to satellites of KNOP-TV in North Platte, Nebraska and KCWY-DT in Casper, Wyoming (both NBC affiliates), respectively. [11]

In March 2015, the company sold the Imperial Valley Press newspaper based in El Centro, California. [12]

In September 2016, The American News and Farm Forum, owned by Schurz, acquired The Public Opinion newspaper in Watertown, South Dakota from United Communications. [13]

In February 2018, the company acquired the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Online Tech. The compliant hybrid cloud provider serves nearly 500 clients across the Midwest with its network of seven data centers and full suite of hybrid cloud services. [14] In December of that year, Online Tech acquired the assets and products of IT provider Neverfail. The acquisition includes Neverfail’s five cloud nodes and assets in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. [15]

In January 2019, Schurz sold its publishing division and all its newspapers to GateHouse Media for $30 million. This included 20 regional papers and several special publications in Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania and South Dakota. GateHouse later bought the Gannett newspaper chain, and the expanded network of newspapers adopted the Gannett name. [16] [17]

In March 2019 Schurz Communications bought the city-owned local broadband company Burlington Telecom of Burlington, Vermont for a total of $30.8 million. [18]

Rushmore Media Company

Rushmore Media Company, Inc. was a small radio broadcasting subsidiary, which owned and operated four radio stations and one television station in the Black Hills region of western South Dakota. The main offices and stations' studios are located at 660 Flormann St., Rapid City, South Dakota 57701.

Rushmore Media Company's group consisted of:

Current properties

Schurz Communications' old logo Schurz Communications old logo.jpg
Schurz Communications' old logo

Broadband systems

Cloud Managed Services

Former properties

Newspapers

Radio

AM StationFM Station
City of license / Market StationYears ownedCurrent ownership status
Lafayette, IN WASK 14501991–2016Owned by Neuhoff Communications
WASK-FM 98.71995–2016Owned by Neuhoff Communications
WKHY 93.52005–2016Owned by Neuhoff Communications
WKOA 105.31991–2016Owned by Neuhoff Communications
WXXB 102.92005–2016Owned by Neuhoff Communications
South Bend, IN WSBT 9601922–2016Owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting
WNSN 101.51962–2016Owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting
WZOC 94.32012–2016 [lower-alpha 1] Owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting
Benton Harbor, MI WHFB-FM 99.92012–2016 [lower-alpha 1] WQLQ, owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting
Rapid City, SD KKLS 9202006–2014Owned by HomeSlice Media Group
KKMK 93.92006–2016Owned by HomeSlice Media Group
KOUT 98.72006–2016Owned by HomeSlice Media Group
KFXS 100.32006–2016Owned by HomeSlice Media Group
Sturgis, SD KBHB 8102006–2014Owned by HomeSlice Media Group
KRCS 93.12006–2016Owned by HomeSlice Media Group
  1. 1 2 Owned by Douglas Road Radio, Schurz held a minority interest in this company.

Television

City of license / Market StationChannelYears ownedCurrent ownership status
Anchorage, AK KTUU-TV 22008–2016 NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television
Augusta, GA WAGT 261980–2016 [lower-alpha 1] Defunct, license cancelled in 2017 [lower-alpha 2]
South Bend, IN WSBT-TV **221952–2016 CBS affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group
HutchinsonWichita, KS KWCH-DT 122006–2016CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television
KSCW-DT 332007–2016 The CW affiliate owned by Gray Television
KDCU-DT 31 [lower-alpha 3] Univision affiliate owned by Entravision Communications
Ensign, KS KBSD-DT [upper-alpha 1] 62006–2016CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television
Goodland, KS KBSL-DT [upper-alpha 1] 102006–2016CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television
Hays, KS KBSH-DT [upper-alpha 1] 72006–2016CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television
Springfield, MO KYTV 31987–2016NBC affiliate owned by Gray Television
K15CZ-D15 [lower-alpha 4] 2002–2016 ABC affiliate KSPR-LD, owned by Gray Television
KSPR/KGHZ 33 [lower-alpha 4] 2016–2017 [lower-alpha 5] Defunct, license cancelled in 2017
Rapid City, SD KOTA-TV32014–2016 MeTV affiliate, KHME, owned by Gray Television [lower-alpha 6]
Lead, SD KHSD-TV [upper-alpha 2] 112014–2016MeTV affiliate, KQME, owned by Gray Television [lower-alpha 7]
Scottsbluff, NE KDUH-TV [upper-alpha 2] 42014–2016NBC affiliate KNEP in Sidney, Nebraska, owned by Gray Television [upper-alpha 3]
Sheridan, WY KSGW-TV [upper-alpha 2] 122014–2016ABC affiliate owned by Gray Television
RoanokeLynchburg, VA WDBJ 71969–2016CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television
  1. 1 2 3 Satellite of KWCH-DT.
  2. 1 2 3 Satellite of KOTA-TV.
  3. Satellite of KNOP-TV.
  1. Owned by Schurz, WAGT was operated by Media General under a shared services agreement, with WJBF.
  2. Intellectual unit and NBC programming transferred to a Gray-owned license and renamed WAGT-CD.
  3. Owned by Entravision Communications, Schurz operated KDCU under a shared services agreement, with KWCH and KSCW.
  4. 1 2 From February to May 2017, KGHZ used virtual channel 15, while K15CZ-D (later KYCW-LD, now KSPR-LD) switched to virtual channel 33.
  5. Owned by Schurz, KGHZ was operated Gray Television operated KGHZ under a shared services agreement. From 2007 to 2016, KGHZ (as KSPR) was owned by Perkin Media, LLC. Schurz operated the station under a joint sales agreement.
  6. Intellectual unit and ABC programming transferred to a Gray-owned license and renamed KOTA-TV.
  7. Intellectual unit and ABC programming transferred to a Gray-owned license and renamed KHSD-TV.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quincy Media</span> American media company (1926–2021)

Quincy Media, Inc., formerly known as Quincy Newspapers, Inc., was a family-owned media company that originated in the newspapers of Quincy, Illinois. The company's history can be traced back to 1835, when the Bounty Land Register was one of four newspapers in Illinois. Over the next century, a number of mergers followed. The company moved into radio in 1947 and began television broadcasts in 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gray Television</span> American television broadcast company

Gray Television, Inc. is an American publicly traded television broadcasting company based in Atlanta. Founded in 1946 by James Harrison Gray as Gray Communications Systems, the company owns or operates 180 stations across the United States in 113 markets. Its station base consists of media markets ranging from as large as Atlanta to one of the smallest markets, North Platte, Nebraska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNDU-TV</span> NBC affiliate in South Bend, Indiana

WNDU-TV is a television station in South Bend, Indiana, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside Elkhart-licensed Heroes & Icons affiliate WSJV. The two stations share studios on the campus of WNDU-TV's founding owner the University of Notre Dame along State Road 933 on South Bend's north side; WNDU-TV's transmitter is located southeast of the St. Joseph County Fairgrounds on the city's south side.

KHME is a television station in Rapid City, South Dakota, United States, affiliated with the classic television network MeTV. It is owned by Gray Television alongside ABC affiliate KOTA-TV and low-power Fox affiliate KEVN-LD. The stations share studios on Skyline Drive in Rapid City, where KHME's transmitter is also located.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KOTA-TV</span> ABC affiliate in Rapid City, South Dakota

KOTA-TV is a television station in Rapid City, South Dakota, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside MeTV affiliate KHME and low-power Fox affiliate KEVN-LD. The stations share studios on Skyline Drive in Rapid City, where KOTA-TV's transmitter is also located.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNOP-TV</span> NBC affiliate in North Platte, Nebraska

KNOP-TV is a television station in North Platte, Nebraska, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Gray Television alongside two low-power stations: CBS affiliate KNPL-LD and Class A Fox affiliate KIIT-CD. The three stations share studios on South Dewey Street in downtown North Platte; master control and some internal operations are based at the facilities of sister station KOLN on North 40th Street in Lincoln. KNOP-TV's transmitter is located at the site of its former studio on US Route 83 north of North Platte.

KGHZ is a defunct television station in Springfield, Missouri, United States. Owned by Schurz Communications, the station was operated by Gray Television under a local marketing agreement (LMA) for its last four months on the air before its license was returned to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on May 31, 2017, as a result of the FCC's 2016 spectrum auction. KGHZ's transmitter was located on Switchgrass Road, north of Fordland. For most of its history, it served as the Springfield–Branson market's ABC affiliate, a role now served by KSPR-LD.

KBSD-DT is a television station licensed to Ensign, Kansas, United States, affiliated with CBS. Owned by Gray Television, the station maintains a news bureau and advertising sales office in Dodge City, and its transmitter is located east of K-23 in rural northwestern Gray County.

KBSL-DT is a television station licensed to Goodland, Kansas, United States, serving northwestern Kansas as an affiliate of CBS. Owned by Gray Television, the station maintains a news bureau and advertising sales office on West 31st Street in southwestern Goodland, and its transmitter is located east of K-27 in rural northeastern Sherman County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKMK</span> Radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota, United States

KKMK is a radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota, airing a hot adult contemporary format.

United Communications Corporation (UCC) was a privately owned operator of three television stations in the U.S. states of Minnesota and New York. The company was the publisher of the Kenosha News of Kenosha, Wisconsin and two other daily newspapers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQLQ</span> Radio station in Benton Harbor, Michigan

WQLQ is a radio station licensed to Benton Harbor, Michigan targeting the South Bend, Indiana market. WQLQ is owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting. Its signal is regularly heard as far as Chicago, Illinois, and as far east as Battle Creek, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRCS</span> Radio station in Sturgis, South Dakota

KRCS is a radio station that airs a Top 40 (CHR) format in the Rapid City and the Black Hills area. The station is owned by HomeSlice Media Group, LLC, and is licensed to Sturgis, South Dakota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KBHB</span> Radio station in Sturgis, South Dakota

KBHB is a radio station broadcasting a farm/news related format. Licensed to Sturgis, South Dakota, United States, it serves the Rapid City area. The station is currently owned by HomeSlice Media Group and features programming from ABC Radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFXS</span> Radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota

KFXS is a radio station licensed to serve Rapid City, South Dakota. The station is owned by HomeSlice Media Group, LLC. It airs a rock music format heavy on 80s and 90s classic rock. It competes with K-SKY and X-Rock next door at 95.1 and 101.1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KOUT</span> Radio station in Rapid City, South Dakota

KOUT is a radio station licensed to serve Rapid City, South Dakota. The station is owned by HomeSlice Media Group, LLC. It airs a country music format.

Helen S. Duhamel was an American businesswoman and broadcaster, best known for saving the Duhamel Company from bankruptcy and establishing a cluster of radio and television stations in western South Dakota and Nebraska in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The HomeSlice Group</span>

The HomeSlice Group, is an American media and entertainment conglomerate based in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The HomeSlice Group is the worldwide exclusive licensing agent of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and artist management company for Chancey Williams and the Younger Brothers, Judd Hoos, and others. The firm owns six radio stations in the Rapid City, South Dakota DMA and entered into a binding asset purchase agreement on October 30, 2015 to acquire all of the radio station assets of Rushmore Media Company, a subsidiary of Schurz Communications. HomeSlice was formed in 1994 and incorporated in 1995. The company is rooted in the live entertainment business and now produces around 500 concerts a year. HomeSlice also operates an advertising agency and has been involved in financial services marketing for nearly 20 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNEP</span> NBC affiliate in Sidney, Nebraska

KNEP is a television station in Sidney, Nebraska, United States, serving the Nebraska Panhandle as an affiliate of NBC. It is owned by Marquee Broadcasting alongside Cheyenne, Wyoming–licensed dual CBS/CW+ affiliate KGWN-TV. KNEP's studios are located on 1st Avenue in Scottsbluff, and its transmitter is located in Angora, Nebraska.

References

  1. "About". Schurz Communications Inc. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  2. "Gray TV to Buy Schurz Communications". AdWeek . September 14, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  3. "Schurz Communications to sell WSBT and other TV, radio stations". South Bend Tribune . September 14, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  4. Kuperberg, Jonathan (September 14, 2015). "Gray Acquiring TV, Radio Stations from Schurz for $442.5 Million". Broadcasting & Cable . Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  5. "Gray Television Divesting Radio Stations From Schurz Acquisition". Broadcasting & Cable . November 2, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Gray Television Sells Some, Buys Some". TVNewsCheck. October 1, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  7. "Summary of Interrelated Transactions" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. October 8, 2015.
  8. "Gray Sells Radio Stations From Schurz Deal". TVNewsCheck. November 2, 2015. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  9. Venta, Lance (November 2, 2015). "Gray Television Divests Schurz Clusters To Three Buyers". RadioInsight. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  10. "HomeSlice Group purchases four Rapid City radio stations". Meade County Times-Tribune. November 2, 2015. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
  11. "Comprehensive Exhibit" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. October 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  12. "I.V. Press under new ownership; parts ways with Schurz". Imperial Valley Press. 2015-03-05. Retrieved 2024-09-07.
  13. Perry, J. J. (2016-09-01). "SCI purchases Watertown, S.D., Public Opinion". Schurz Communications Inc. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  14. Admin (2018-02-05). "Schurz Communications Inc. Acquires Leading Hybrid Cloud Provider Online Tech". Schurz Communications Inc. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  15. Admin (2018-12-04). "Online Tech Acquires Neverfail's Global Cloud Infrastructure Business". Schurz Communications Inc. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  16. Admin (2019-01-28). "Schurz Communications Announces Sale of Publishing Division as Part of Global Technology Growth Strategy". Schurz Communications Inc. Retrieved 2019-02-02.
  17. GateHouse Scoops Up 20 Local Newspapers In $30M Schurz Communications Deal, MediaPost, January 30, 2019, Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  18. "Schurz Communications' Subsidiary Champlain Broadband Closes on Transaction to Acquire Burlington Telecom in Vermont". 13 March 2019.