Equity Media Holdings

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Equity Media Holdings
Type Public (NASDAQ: EMDA)
Founded 1998
Founder Gregory W. Fess, Larry E. Morton
Headquarters Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
Key people Henry G. Luken (President, CEO); Gregory W. Fess (COO, SVP); Neal Ardman (VP TVOps)
Industry broadcasting
Services TV Stations, RTN
Subsidiaries Retro Television Network, CASH, Equity Broadcasting
Website http://emdaholdings.com/index.html


Equity Media Holdings is a broadcasting company based in Little Rock, Arkansas that owns and operates 31 television stations across the United States. Prior to March 30, 2007, the company was known as Equity Broadcasting, which is now used for its broadcast station subisdary. The company has a focus on Hispanic and Asian American communities in large markets while owning a combination of English-language network affiliates in medium and small markets. In late 2005, Equity launched the Retro Television Network, a programming service with a lineup of "classic" shows from the 1950s-1980s which currently airs in part or full in numerous markets (controversially replacing UPN in one).

However, the company's annual report for 2007, released on April 2, 2008 said that the company is in default on its credit lines, and that if it cannot find additional financing it "will need to cease all or a portion of its operations, seek protection under U.S. bankruptcy laws and regulations, engage in a restructuring or undertake a combination of these and other actions." An earlier indication of Equity's troubles came one month previous, when its board of directors appointed its chairman, Henry Luken, to replace Equity founder Larry Morton as president and CEO.[1] Morton remains the chair, president and CEO of Retro Television Network.

A trait unique to Equity Media Holdings is their usage of a centralized groupwide hub (called by Equity the Central Automated Satellite Hub, or C.A.S.H, system) where all production, programming, and master control is handled from a facility adjacent to the company's headquarters. Though such hubbing is done on regional scales for many groups, no other company has done it to the scale and magintude of Equity and C.A.S.H.

Contents

[edit] LAT TV and Equity Deal

Equity was expected to carry programming from LAT TV beginning May 30, 2007, as part of a new deal between LAT TV and Equity. [2] With the demise of LAT TV, many stations have instead carried the Retro Television Network or other programming.

Former logo as Equity Broadcasting
Former logo as Equity Broadcasting

[edit] Stations

Note: The stations are listed in alphabetical order on the part of their call letters.

1Stations not owned but managed by Equity Media Holdings.

2On April 4, 2008 Equity announced the sale of all five of its Southwest Florida stations (WUVF, WLZE, WEVU, WBSP and WTLE) to to Luken Communications, LLC for $8 million. Equity has cited corporate financial losses as a reason for the sale. ([3])


[edit] Univision Stations

[edit] TeleFutura Stations

[edit] MyNetworkTV Stations

[edit] Fox Stations

[edit] Retro Television Network Stations

[edit] Other Stations

[edit] Markets With Stations Coming Soon

[edit] Other Properties

[edit] See also

[edit] External links