Diversified Communications
Diversified Communications is a broadcasting company, headquartered in Portland, Maine. Among the various publications and broadcast outlets, the company organizes trade shows, publishes magazines, produces digital business and operates broadcast stations.
Under the name, Community Broadcasting Service, it founded and still owns Maine's first TV station, WABI-TV.
History
Diversified was founded as Community Broadcasting Service in 1949 when Horace A. Hildreth, the former governor of Maine, president of Bucknell University and U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, purchased the license for Maine's first radio station, WABI-AM. In 1953, he launched Maine's first TV station, WABI-TV in Bangor, Maine. Recently, Diversified Communications demanded a 300% increase from its Direct TV customers. In response, millions of viewers in the Gainesville, Florida and Bangor, Maine area have lost all access to the stations listed below.
In 1970, Diversified entered the publishing and trade show business with the acquisition of National Fisherman and FISH EXPO Boston. In 1972, it formed New England Cablevision which it sold in 2000.
Throughout the 1980s, Diversified expanded its publishing and trade show business with products in the commercial marine and seafood industries. In 1993, it expanded internationally with the European Seafood Exposition. Diversified continued its international growth with the acquisition of Australia Exhibition Services in 2000, the formation of DBC Canada and the acquisition of UK-based Full Moon Communications in 2002. In 2009, Diversified expanded into Hong Kong with the acquisition of Asia Business Events and established a presence in India with the acquisition of Infocast.
Properties
Today, Diversified operates trade fairs on four continents, produces trade publications, owns several digital businesses and operates two U.S. broadcast stations. SPAR Point Group, which focuses on the 3D imaging technologies sector, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Diversified.[1]
Television stations
- **—indicates a station built and signed on by Community Broadcasting Service/Diversified Communications.
| City of license/Market | Station | Channel | Owned Since | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, Maine | WABI-TV ** | 5 (13) | 1953 | CBS The CW (on DT2) |
| Gainesville, Florida | WCJB-TV | 20 (16) | 1976 | ABC The CW (on DT2) |
Stations formerly owned by Community Broadcasting Service/Diversified Communications
Television stations
| City of license/Market | Station | Channel | Years Owned | Current affiliation/owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | WPDE-TV | 15 (16) | 1985–2006 | ABC affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group |
| WWMB | 21 | 1 | The CW affiliate owned by Howard Stirk Holdings (operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group) | |
| New Bern - Greenville - Washington, North Carolina | WCTI-TV | 12 | 1986–1993 | ABC affiliate owned by Bonten Media Group |
| Poland Spring - Portland, Maine | WMTW ** 2 | 8 | 1954–1964 | ABC affiliate owned by Hearst Television |
| Presque Isle, Maine | WAGM-TV | 8 | 1957–1984 | CBS affiliate owned by NEPSK, Inc. |
| Scranton - Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania | WYOU | 22 (13) | 1986–1996 | CBS affiliate owned by Mission Broadcasting (operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group) |
Footnotes:
- 1 This station was owned by Atlantic Media Group, but was operated by Diversified under a local marketing agreement from its sign on in 1994 until Diversified sold operating station WPDE-TV to Barrington Broadcasting in 2006.
- 2 This station was owned by Mount Washington Television, whose ownership partially overlapped with Community Broadcasting Service.
Radio stations
| AM Stations | FM Stations |
| Market | Station | Years owned | Current ownership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, Maine | WABI-910 (now WAEI) |
1949–1993 | owned by Blueberry Broadcasting |
| WABI-FM/WBGW/WYOU-FM-97.1 ** (now WBFB) |
1961–1993 | owned by Blueberry Broadcasting | |
| Houlton, Maine | WABM-1340 (later WHGS) |
1957–1959 | defunct, went silent by 1994 |
| Mount Washington, New Hampshire | WMTW-FM-94.9 ** 1 (now WHOM) |
1958–1964 | owned by Cumulus Media |
| Portland, Maine | WPOR-1490 (now WBAE) |
1958–1971 | owned by Saga Communications |
| WPOR-FM-101.9 ** | 1967–1971 | owned by Saga Communications | |
| Presque Isle, Maine | WAGM-950 (later WKZX) |
1957–1981 | defunct, went silent by 1991 |
Footnote:
- 1 This station was owned by Mount Washington Television, whose ownership partially overlapped with Community Broadcasting Service..
External links
References
1. (12 July 2000), "Diversified Business Communications Acquires Australian Exhibition Services," TradeshowWeek. 2. (February 2009), "Nancy Hasselback, Steady Leadership ad Diversified Communications," Tradeshow Executive. 2. (27 April 2009), "Diversified Heads for Hong Kong," TradeshowWeek.