Wikipedia

Morgan Murphy Media

The Evening Telegram Company, d/b/a Morgan Murphy Media, is an American television and radio company based in Madison, Wisconsin. The company is named for publisher Morgan Murphy, who expanded the business after he took over from his grandfather, who had founded the Superior Evening Telegram (now owned by Forum Communications).

Evening Telegram Company
Morgan Murphy Media
FormerlyMorgan Murphy Stations
Company type
Private
IndustryBroadcast media
Headquarters
Madison, Wisconsin
,
U.S.
Area served
United States
ProductsTelevision stations

History

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The company traces its roots to the founding of the Superior Evening Telegram in 1890 by John T. Murphy. He died in 1932, and the business passed to his son John Morgan Murphy, who acquired several other newspapers in the Upper Midwest and also expanded into broadcasting. The company sold off its print interests in 2003, leaving only its former broadcasting division. Nevertheless, it is still legally incorporated as the "Evening Telegram Company."[1]

The company was known as Morgan Murphy Stations until 2007, when its trade name was slightly changed to Morgan Murphy Media.[2]

On May 10, 2017, the company announced that it would acquire Saga Communications' television clusters in Joplin, Missouri, including KOAM-TV, and Victoria, Texas, including KAVU-TV. Saga will additionally acquire the assets of Fox affiliates in each market owned by Surtsey Media and operated by Saga under local marketing agreements, including KFJX in Joplin, Missouri and KVCT in Victoria, Texas. Those stations' license assets were acquired by SagamoreHill Broadcasting.[3] The sale was completed September 1.[4][5]

In September 2018, it was announced that the company would invest in Good Karma Brands to back its acquisition of the Milwaukee radio stations WKTI and WTMJ.[6]

On October 13, 2021, the company dropped its channels from Dish Network due to a programming dispute. This dispute is in addition to Dish's dispute with Tegna and is the 2nd time that a satellite TV company was involved with such conflicts (DIRECTV had a conflict with the companies' stations in December 2020).[7][8]

In September 2023, the company acquired The Marks Group's Michigan broadcasting properties—WBKB-TV, WBKP, WBUP, and the Houghton and Iron River radio stations—for $13.375 million.[9] The deal was closed on December 4.[10] Morgan Murphy subsequently took over operations of WJMN-TV, owned by Sullivan's Landing, LLC (following its acquisition from Nexstar Media Group), via joint sales and shared services agreements;[11] WJMN-TV merged its operations into, and was converted into a satellite of, WBUP.[12][13]

Television stations

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Morgan Murphy Media's headquarters building in Madison, Wisconsin, which is an extension of WISC-TV's studio facility.

Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.

(**) - Indicates a station built and signed on by Morgan Murphy Media (then known as the Evening Telegram Company).

Media market State Station Purchased Affiliation Notes
Pittsburg Kansas KOAM-TV 2017 CBS
KFJX N/a Fox [a]
Alpena Michigan WBKB-TV 2023
  • CBS
  • NBC (DT2)
  • ABC (DT3)
  • Fox (DT4)
Marquette WJMN-TV N/a
[A][b]
WBKP 2023
WBUP 2023
Victoria Texas KMOL-LD 2017 NBC
KVCT N/a Fox [a]
KUNU-LD 2017 Univision
KAVU-TV 2017 ABC
KQZY-LD 2017 Cozi TV
KXTS-LD 2017 CBS
KVTX-LD 2017 Telemundo
Spokane Washington KXLY-TV 1961 ABC
KXMN-LD 2007 ABC
Yakima KAPP ** 1970 ABC
Kennewick KVEW ** 1970 ABC [B]
La Crosse–Eau Claire Wisconsin WKBT-DT 2000 CBS
Madison WISC-TV ** 1956
  • CBS
  • MyNetworkTV (DT2)
  1. ↑ Satellite of WBUP.
  2. ↑ Semi-satellite of KAPP.
  1. 1 2 Owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting.
  2. ↑ Owned by Sullivan's Landing, LLC.

Former television stations

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Media market State Station Purchased Sold Notes
Fargo North Dakota KTHI-TV 1968 1995

Other properties

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Idaho

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Radio

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Michigan

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Radio

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Wisconsin

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Radio

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Print

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  • Madison Magazine

Washington

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Radio

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References

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  1. ↑ Company history
  2. ↑ "Morgan Murphy Stations Rebranded as Morgan Murphy Media - Station News Story - WISC Madison". Archived from the original on November 26, 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Morgan Murphy Buying 6 Saga Stations". TVNewsCheck. May 10, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  4. ↑ Consummation Notice, CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  5. ↑ Consummation Notice, CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Morgan Murphy Media Invests In Good Karma Brands' WTMJ-WKTI/Milwaukee Purchase". All Access. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Viewers will continue to receive KAPP-KVEW TV while DISH negotiations continue". October 11, 2021.
  8. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Dish Network Update about Tegna blackout (October 12-November 8, 2021)". YouTube.
  9. ↑ Venta, Lance (September 14, 2023). "Morgan Murphy Media Acquires Northern Michigan TV/Radio Combo". RadioInsight. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Done Deal: Morgan Murphy Media Completes Purchase Of Marks Media Group Stations". Insideradio.com. December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Nexstar Sells WJMN-TV to Illinois Broadcaster". Michigan Association of Broadcasters. April 12, 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  12. ↑ "WBUP and WJMN combine, rebrand and expand local newscasts in Marquette". UPMatters. August 26, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  13. ↑ Perkins, Schyler (September 16, 2024). "Rescan your TV to take advantage of My UP's over-the-air signal improvements". MyUPNow.com. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  14. ↑ Ellis, Jon (November 3, 2024). "New Upper Peninsula Commercial FM Station Signs On". NorthPine: Upper Midwest Broadcasting. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
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