The Minority Media and Telecommunications Council was the recipient of 147 donated LPTV stations back in 2010 – they came from Trinity Broadcasting – and now it says it has found new owners for 89 of them. According to MMTC, the new owners “…are either minority or women owner/operators or the new owners have committed funding, time and talents for MMTC’s training and mentoring initiatives.”
MMTC’s David Honig said, “Trinity’s donation allowed us the chance to help minorities and women make the daunting transition from management to entrepreneurial ownership. I extend the sincere thanks to the Trinity team and to our MMTC Media and Telecom Brokerage team. Many told us these assets could not be liquidated. We found buyers and in all cases the communities with these LPTV stations will be better served with more diverse programming and new business operations. This leads to commerce, investment and jobs!”
Trinity’s Colby May added, “We appreciate MMTC’s commitment to find buyers and to maximize these assets for the local communities. These broadcasters will support their community, deliver compelling content and build stable businesses. We wish these broadcasters the best. It’s our hope that other broadcasters will follow this example and work with MMTC in this way, it makes for good stewardship and leads to good things for the local communities!”
From MMTC, here are the outlines of the various deals:
* Mayela and Orlando Rosales; Media Vista Group, Naples, FL: The Rosales’ are MMTC’s first partnership with a minority owned LPTV operator. The Rosales’ have incorporated the Naples LPTV station into their collection of South West Florida Hispanic market media assets including their D’Latinos Magazine. The Naples LPTV station is an Azteca TV affiliate. The Media Vista Group also offers unique alternatives for advertisers like product integration and live commercials on their shows. Their objective with both TV and print is to inform and entertain the Hispanic market.
* Mike Chandler; REJOICE TV, Inc./ Rejoice Family Television, Virginia Beach, VA: Mike and his organization purchased stations in Hampton, VA, Myrtle Beach, SC and Virginia Beach, VA. These stations will broadcast programming from the Rejoice Musical SoulFood Radio Network and other unique programming targeted to the African American community.
* Ernest Johnson; Developers & Managers, Group, LLC, Baton Rouge, LA: Ernest Johnson purchased stations in Alexandria, LA, Monroe, LA and Shreveport, LA. He was co--founder of stations in Baton Rouge and other Louisiana markets in the late 1980’s and 1990. He also has extensive experience with FCC filings and broadcast policy. He is also a managing partner in the Louisiana Community Development Capital Fund, a 501(c) 3 non-profit financial institution which provides financial and management services to small businesses. His organization will program these stations for the African American community.
* Philip Lombardo; Citadel Communications,LLC., Bronxville, NY: Philip Lombardo purchased one station in Sarasota; FL. Philip J. Lombardo is founder and CEO of Citadel Communications, LLC., the operating entity owns TV stations in Iowa, Nebraska and Rhode Island. As a former chairman, president and CEO of Corinthian Broadcasting Corporation, Philip was responsible for the operation of the group’s six television stations, five of which were CBS affiliates. Philip has already committed time mentoring MMTC’s partners and will continue to do so.
* Darnell Washington; New Moon Communications, Tulsa, OK: Darnell Washington has sold and managed TV stations in Montana, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska. New Moon purchased stations in Dothan, AL, Jackson, TN, Jonesboro, AR and Ottumwa, IL. These stations will be NBC affiliate stations and serve each of these communities with full affiliate programming. New Moon will have the distinction of being the only minority owned NBC affiliates.
* Warren Trumbly and Ravi Kapur; Chicago 22, LLC, San Jose, CA: Warren Trumbly and Ravi Kapur currently own and operate KAXT, an LPTV station in San Jose, CA. They are committed to developing local content for under-served ethnic and minority communities. Their business plan includes hiring skilled individuals and developing a strong internship programs in all their markets. They plan to enable the local communities to develop their own ethnic content such as Vietnamese, Taiwanese and South Asian channels. These multiplexing channels are marketed locally to build a broadcast business. The Arlington Heights LPTV station they have purchased will soon have a variety of ethnic programming.
* Henry Luken; Digital Networks, Chattanooga, TN: Digital Networks, LLC is a sister company to Luken Communications, owner of Retro Television, TUFF TV, My Family TV, PBJ and other networks, content libraries and production facilities. Digital Networks purchased 74 LPTV stations across the country from MMTC to add to its existing LPTV holdings. Digital Networks, led by President Henry Luken and Vice President Matt Winn, will convert the former TBN translators to digital stations enabling them to place multiple channels of diverse content on the air. Additionally, MMTC and Digital Networks will announce a “LPTV Incubator Entrepreneurial Program” in January 2012 which will offer exciting opportunities to minority and women candidates interested in operating their own business in collaboration with both organizations.
