The Ackerley Group was an American media company founded by businessman Barry Ackerley that owned and operated several radio stations in Seattle, Washington, as well as television stations across the United States (primarily in New York and California, as well as one in Fairbanks, Alaska). The company also owned the NBA Seattle SuperSonics and WNBA Seattle Storm professional basketball teams. The Ackerley Group was sold to Clear Channel Communications[1] (now iHeartMedia) in 2002.

Ackerley announced its sale to Clear Channel Communications on October 8, 2001;[2] the merger was completed on June 14, 2002.[3] At the time of the closure of the transaction, the sale price was reported to be 38 times cashflow (approximately $1.1B USD), the highest ever sale valuation for a North American publicly traded media company in the history of the NYSE. The record setting high price tag was attributed to the overwhelming market monopoly position of the Ackerley Group's Out of Home Media (billboards) marketplace in the Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts and South Florida media markets- all areas where Clear Channel was devoid of inventory. Barry Ackerley and his immediate family owned approximately 82% of the company stock at the time of the sale.

Former stations

Stations owned by the Ackerley Group
Media market State Station Purchased Sold Notes
Fairbanks Alaska KTVF 1999 2002
Bakersfield California KGET-TV 1983 2002
Eureka KVIQ 1998 2000
Fresno KGPE 2000 2002 [a]
Salinas–Monterey KCBA 1986 2000 [b]
KION 2000 2002 [c]
Santa Barbara KCOY-TV 1999 2002
San Francisco–Oakland KFTY 1996 2002
Colorado Springs–Pueblo Colorado KKTV 1983 1999
Binghamton New York WIVT 1998 2002
WBGH-CA 2000 2002
Elmira WETM-TV 2000 2002 [d]
Rochester WOKR 1999 2002
Syracuse WIXT-TV 1982 2002
Utica WUTR 1997 2002
Watertown WWTI 2000 2002
Eugene–Springfield Oregon KMTR 1999 2002
Bellingham Washington KVOS-TV 1985 2002
  1. ^ Known as KJEO prior to 2000.
  2. ^ Operated by Ackerley from 2000 until 2002.
  3. ^ Operated by Ackerley from 1994 until 2000.
  4. ^ Owned by a third party.

References

  1. ^ FCC approves Clear Channel (now known as iHeartMedia) purchase of Ackerley Group
  2. ^ Virgin, Bill (October 8, 2001). "Ackerley selling out". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  3. ^ "Clear Channel completes merger with Ackerley Group". San Antonio Business Journal. June 14, 2002. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ackerley_Group
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