Luken Communications

Luken Communications, LLC
Private LLC
Industry Broadcast Television
Founded Chattanooga, Tennessee (2008)
Founder Henry Luken III
Headquarters Chattanooga, Tennessee
Area served
United States (Nationwide)
Key people
Henry Luken III (president and CEO)
Products Television stations
Digital broadcast television networks
Owner Henry Luken III
Number of employees
50 (2010)
Subsidiaries
Website luken.tv

Luken Communications, LLC is a privately owned American broadcast holding company, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which owns or operates around 80 television stations in the United States and six digital television multicast networks.

History

Luken Communications (LC) was formed in 2008 by Henry Luken III, formerly president and CEO of Equity Media Holdings. Luken Communications agreed to purchase six TV stations from Equity Media for $17.5 million and paid a $5 million installment with the rest pending on regulatory approval. In June 2008, Equity sold to Luken Retro Television Network for $18.5 million and $8.05 million Equity warrants for $1.5 million.[1]

On January 4, 2009, a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications interrupted RTN programming on many of its affiliates with Luken alleging that Equity had left many obligations to RTN's creditors, including programming suppliers, unpaid. As a result, Luken restored a national feed of the network from its Chattanooga headquarters.[2] As a result of this dispute, Luken pulled out of a deal to purchase Equity's stations in southwestern Florida.

In June 2009, Luken and Seals Entertainment Company LLC launched the male-oriented digital multicast channel Tuff TV.[3] On March 22, 2011, Luken became part-owners of My Family TV in a joint venture with existing owner ValCom[4] (the network later rebranded as The Family Channel after ValCom and Luken Communications ended their partnership). In June 2011, Luken Communications announced the purchase of 78 low-power translator stations from the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council for $390,000; the purchase was made in order to expand coverage of its ten existing and planned digital multicast networks with hopes to eventually acquire 400 low-power stations.[5] In late summer 2011, Luken and Classic Media launched PBJ, featuring classic children's programs from the Classic Media library.[6] With Frost Cutlery's shopping network and outdoor shows, Luken launched in 2011 the Frost Great Outdoors network.[7]

On April 16, 2012, Luken Communications and Jim Owens Entertainment announced that the companies had teamed to relaunch The Nashville Network as a digital broadcast television network set for a late summer 2012 launch (TNN previously existed as a cable channel started by Gaylord Entertainment Company in 1983). The network was rebranded the next year as The Heartland Network.

On June 21st, 2013, an Arkansas jury awarded a $47.4 million verdict against Luken Communications for a claim of “fraudulent transfer” of the ownership of RTV six years prior. In order to appeal what was considered an “unjust verdict”, Luken Communications filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as a protectionist measure.[8] The appeal spanned more than a year but was ultimately successful, and in October 2014, the company announced it was emerging from bankruptcy protection and continued to grow and expand its network offerings.[9] In December 2014, Luken Communications launched a new digital network, Rev'n, with a focus on automotive enthusiasts.

Assets owned by Luken Communications

Digital multicast networks

Broadcast television stations

Notes: All stations are owned by Digital Networks, LLC. (a subsidiary of Luken Communications). Many of these stations were former Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) translators, unless specified.

DMA# City of license / Market Station Channel
TV (RF)
8. Washington, D.C. W43BP 43 (19)
13. Phoenix, Arizona K38CX 38 (N/A)
K51IO 51 (47)
14. Tampa, Florida WDNP-LD 36 (36)
15. Minneapolis, Minnesota K19BG 19 (19)
K42FH 42 (16)
17. Denver, Colorado K26CV 26 (26)
K48CG 48 (33)
24. Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina W45CN 45 (N/A)
33. Salt Lake City, Utah K39AK 39 (39)
36. San Antonio, Texas K15BV 15 (42)
KRTX-LP 20 (20)
37. Spartanburg-Greenville, South Carolina WASV-LP 50 (50)
WNGS-LP 50 (33)
39. Birmingham, Alabama WRTD-LD 46 (46)
45. Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico K36GD 36 (35)
K50IA 50 (50)
49. Memphis, Tennessee WPYM-LD1 56 (38)
50. Jacksonville, Florida W23AQ 23 (22)
W45CU 45 (17)
51. Buffalo, New York W30BW 30 (30)
55. Fresno, California K27GZ 27 (N/A)
58. Albany, New York W47CM 47 (47)
59. Tulsa, Oklahoma K25GJ 25 (23)
K50JG 50 (29)
61. Knoxville, Tennessee WKXT-LD 61 (43)
67. Wichita, Kansas K15CN 15 (15)
KSMI-LP1, 3 51 (30)
69. Green Bay, Wisconsin W36DH 36 (15)
71. Honolulu, Hawaii K34HC 34 (34)
K38HU 38 (N/A)
75. Springfield, Missouri K41HC 41 (41)
78. Portland, Maine WMNE-LP 32 (32)
80. Huntsville-Decatur-Florence, Alabama WNAL-LD 27 (31)
WSWH-LD 33 (35)
81. Paducah, Kentucky-Cape Girardeau-
Harrisburg-Mt. Vernon, Illinois
K39CP 39 (19)
83. Shreveport, Louisiana K30EA 30 (30)
86. Chattanooga, Tennessee WOOT-LP1, 2 6 (31)
88. Waco, Texas K47ED 47 (38)
89. Waterloo, Iowa K42HI 42 (42)
K44FK 44 (44)
92. Savannah, Georgia W14CQ 14 (N/A)
WLOW-LP 19 (49)
93. Jackson, Mississippi W36AC 36 (49)
WEAZ-LD 49 (49)
95. Burlington, Vermont W16AL 16 (16)
99. Greenville-New Bern-Washington, North Carolina W22CJ 22 (33)
W44CN 44 (15)
100. Davenport, Iowa-Rock Island-Moline, Illinois KQCT-LP 61 (17)
W19CX 19 (N/A)
W51DT 51 (43)
113. Sioux Falls, South Dakota K56GF 56 (23)
117. Fargo-Valley City, North Dakota K35KD 35 (35)
124. Lafayette, Louisiana K39JV 39 (39)
127. Columbus, Georgia W30BD 30 (41)
131. Chico-Redding, California K19FY 19 (19)
133. Columbus-Tupelo-West Point, Mississippi W25AD 25 (25)
135. Wausau-Rhinelander, Wisconsin K32GF 32 (44)
136. Topeka, Kansas K31BW 31 (31)
140. Medford-Klamath Falls, Oregon K58BG 58 (16)
142. Wichita Falls, Texas-Lawton, Oklahoma K49GC 49 (N/A)
146 Erie, Pennsylvania W48CH 48 (48)
W52BO 52 (46)
147. Sioux City, Iowa K21HS 21 (N/A)
152. Minot-Bismarck-Dickinson, North Dakota K21GQ 21 (N/A)
K40DE 40 (N/A)
K46DY 46 (28)
153. Rochester-Austin, Minnesota-Mason City, Iowa K40JT 40 (40)
154. Terre Haute, Indiana WSWY-LP 43 (43)
160. Idaho Falls-Pocatello, Idaho K41JC 41 (42)
161. Sherman, Texas-Ada, Oklahoma KWRW-LP 44 (44)
173. Rapid City, South Dakota KRPC-LP 33 (33)
174. Elmira, New York W59DG 59 (38)
187. Greenwood/Greenville, Mississippi WPYM-LD1 38 (38)
192. Parkersburg, West Virginia W45BW 45 (36)
193. Bend, Oregon K33AG 33 (29)
203. Zanesville, Ohio W16BT 16 (29)
208. Alpena, Michigan W18BT 18 (33)

References

  1. Marich, Robert (June 26, 2008). "Equity Media Sells RTN to Ease Crunch". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  2. Jessell, Harry A. (1/5/2009). "Financial Dispute Disrupts RTN Diginet". tVNewsCheck. Retrieved February 18, 2015. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. "New TUFF TV Network Scheduled For Launch". April 29, 2009.
  4. Frank, Judy (March 22, 2011). "Chattanooga's Luken Communications Enters Joint Venture With ValCom Entertainment Company". Chattanoogan. Retrieved March 30, 2011.
  5. Jessell, Harry A. (June 16, 2011). "RTN Parent Buys 78 TV Translators". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  6. "Luken, Classic Media To Debut New Network". TVNewsCheck. May 5, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
  7. Flessner, Dave (June 10, 2012). "Chattanooga businessman Henry Luken goes country". ChattanooganTimes Free Press. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
  8. Luken Communications files bankruptcy after Arkansas jury verdict against company, June 23, 2013
  9. "Luken announces plan to exit bankruptcy". timesfreepress.com. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  10. "Jim Owens Entertainment ends licensing deal with Luken". Radio-TV Business Report. October 31, 2013.
  11. Marcucci, Carl (October 31, 2012). "Luken RTV affiliate losses not a big hit". Radio-TV Business Report. Streamline RBR, Inc. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
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