The Marks Group

The Marks Group is a Maryland-based operator of radio and television stations in small markets in the United States. Founded by Stephen A. Marks (1950–2022), the company holds 14 radio stations and five television properties.

History

Marks entered the broadcast ownership business in 1983 when he acquired 51 percent of Thunder Bay Broadcasting, which owned WBKB-TV, the only television station in Alpena, Michigan. Marks, a native of Maryland, had previously worked as a copywriter at WINX in Rockville, Maryland, before being employed by the Mutual Broadcasting System.[1]

Marks acquired KXGN radio and television in Glendive, Montana, in 1990. KXGN-TV, like WBKB-TV in Alpena, was the only TV station in its town, a fact Marks liked as it could then command all television advertising revenue in the market.[2][3] This transaction, as well as the purchase of Glendive FM station KDZN in 1995, required waivers on account of the financial condition of the small-market stations.[4] Further Montana broadcast properties were added with the 1995 purchase of KYUS-TV in Miles City[5] and the 1996 acquisition of KIKC-AM-FM in Forsyth.[6]

In 2003 Marks acquired WBKP and WBUP, together serving the Marquette, Michigan, television market.[7] Added in 2015 were four stations owned by Heartland Communications in Iron River, Michigan, and Park Falls, Wisconsin.[8]

Stephen Marks died on May 11, 2022, at the age of 72.[1][9] His widow Mary and family began selling the broadcast properties in 2023. GSB Broadcasting acquired WOWZ-FM in Accomac, Virginia, which it already was programming, in April,[10] while the Park Falls stations went to Civic Media in a deal announced in June.[11] In September, Morgan Murphy Media acquired the Michigan broadcasting properties—WBKB-TV, WBKP, WBUP, and the Houghton and Iron River radio stations—for $13.375 million.[12]

Stations

At the time of Marks's death in 2022, the company owned these stations:

Television

Michigan

Montana

North Dakota

Virginia

Wisconsin

References
  1. "Marks Media Group President Stephen Marks Passes Away". Inside Radio. May 16, 2022. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  2. Buckman, Adam (July 3, 1989). "A tiny television transaction". Electronic Media. p. 8.
  3. "One-to-a-market waived in Montana". Broadcasting. May 14, 1990. p. 44.
  4. "Memorandum Opinion and Order" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. March 7, 1995. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  5. Caton, William F. (February 27, 1995). "In re Application of Big Horn Communications, Inc. (Assignor) and KYUS Broadcasting Corporation (Assignee) For Consent to Assign the License for Station KYUS-TV, Channel 3 Miles City, Montana" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  6. "Transactions". Radio & Records. April 5, 1996. p. 8.
  7. "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. September 8, 2003. p. 38. ProQuest 225237001.
  8. Venta, Lance (April 17, 2015). "Station Sales Week Of 4/17". RadioInsight.
  9. "TV, Radio Station Owner Stephen Marks Dies". NorthPine: Upper Midwest Broadcasting. 2022-05-20. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  10. Venta, Lance (2023-04-21). "Station Sales Week Of 4/21". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  11. Venta, Lance (2023-06-07). "Civic Media Acquires Two More In Wisconsin". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  12. Venta, Lance (2023-09-14). "Morgan Murphy Media Acquires Northern Michigan TV/Radio Combo". RadioInsight. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
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