Cascade Broadcasting Group
Encyclopedia
There were two companies under the name Cascade Broadcasting Company:
. It consisted of four television stations and two AM radio stations.
Although Cascade Broadcasting originally produced its own programming schedule selecting shows from all major networks and syndicators under the direction of James "Jimmy" Nolan, all three remaining television stations are now CBS affiliates. Limited original programming was also produced from the beginning of the regional network. This included news programming, a children's program called "Uncle Jimmy's Clubhouse," starring Jimmy Nolan, and a country-western music program titled "Buckaroo Time," starring Bert Wells.
In 1954, Cascade Broadcasting became the first company in the United States to receive permission from the Federal Communications Commission
to operate satellite stations. KEPR-TV, KLEW-TV, and KBAS-TV were given permission to receive KIMA-TV directly off of the air and to retransmit its signal. The only provision the FCC made was that the KIMA-TV station identification announcements were not to be retransmitted by any of its satellites. This saved Cascade the expense of installing AT&T network television microwave service to its satellite stations. KBAS-TV ceased operations and went dark on November 30, 1961.
In 1961, Cascade Broadcasting's original owner, Archie W. Talbot, sold the company to the HalTom Corporation. On October 7, 1968, Cascade was sold to Filmways
, Inc. At the time of this sale, Cascade's two AM radio stations, KIMA 1460 kHz, and KEPR 610 kHz, were split off under the ownership of Thomas C. "Tom" Bostic Jr., Cascade's original owner-manager. Filmways was later purchased by Orion Pictures
, which included the Cascade television stations. In 1972, Orion sold Cascade to NWG Broadcasting. In 1986, it was sold to Retlaw Enterprises
, Inc., a private Disney concern, and, sometime in 1995, it was sold to Fisher Communications
of Seattle, Washington
.
Continued losses by this Cascade began to take a toll on the company. In 2008, it entered into an agreement to sell KWBA to Journal Broadcast Group and its Tucson station KGUN-TV; the Federal Communications Commission allowed Journal to buy the station later in the year by issuing a failing station waiver. WBKI was foreclosed on, and the Louisville stations were sold at auction to Fusion Communications; they later bought W24BW outright.
Cascade Broadcasting Company (Yakima, Washington)
The first Cascade Broadcasting Company was based in Yakima, WashingtonYakima, Washington
Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
. It consisted of four television stations and two AM radio stations.
- KIMA-TVKIMA-TVKIMA-TV is the CBS affiliated television station serving the Yakima, Washington region. The station is owned by Fisher Communications.The station operates two semi-satellites--KEPR-TV in the Tri-Cities and KLEW-TV in Lewiston, Idaho...
Channel 29, (Digital 33) Yakima, WashingtonYakima, WashingtonYakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of... - KEPR-TVKEPR-TVKEPR-TV , virtual channel 19, is the CBS affiliated television station for the Tri-Cities area of Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick, Washington. It is licensed to Pasco. It is sister station to KIMA-TV in Yakima, Washington and KLEW-TV in Lewiston, Idaho...
Channel 19, (Digital 18) Tri-Cities, WashingtonTri-Cities, WashingtonThe Tri-Cities is a mid-sized metropolitan area in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, consisting of three neighboring cities: Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland. The cities are located at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia rivers in the semi-arid region of... - KLEW-TVKLEW-TVKLEW-TV, broadcast on digital channel 32 and is the CBS television affiliate in Lewiston, Idaho. It serves north-central Idaho and southeastern Washington, including nearby Pullman. While it is located in the Spokane television market, it is a semi-satellite of KIMA 29 in Yakima and KEPR 19 in...
Channel 3, (Digital 32) Lewiston, IdahoLewiston, IdahoLewiston is a city in and also the county seat of Nez Perce County in the Pacific Northwest state of Idaho. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA... - KBAS-TV Channel 43, later 16 (ceased operations 1961), Ephrata, WashingtonEphrata, WashingtonEphrata is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,808 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grant County.-History:...
Although Cascade Broadcasting originally produced its own programming schedule selecting shows from all major networks and syndicators under the direction of James "Jimmy" Nolan, all three remaining television stations are now CBS affiliates. Limited original programming was also produced from the beginning of the regional network. This included news programming, a children's program called "Uncle Jimmy's Clubhouse," starring Jimmy Nolan, and a country-western music program titled "Buckaroo Time," starring Bert Wells.
In 1954, Cascade Broadcasting became the first company in the United States to receive permission from the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
to operate satellite stations. KEPR-TV, KLEW-TV, and KBAS-TV were given permission to receive KIMA-TV directly off of the air and to retransmit its signal. The only provision the FCC made was that the KIMA-TV station identification announcements were not to be retransmitted by any of its satellites. This saved Cascade the expense of installing AT&T network television microwave service to its satellite stations. KBAS-TV ceased operations and went dark on November 30, 1961.
In 1961, Cascade Broadcasting's original owner, Archie W. Talbot, sold the company to the HalTom Corporation. On October 7, 1968, Cascade was sold to Filmways
Filmways
Filmways, Inc. was a television and film production company founded by American film executive Martin Ransohoff in 1958...
, Inc. At the time of this sale, Cascade's two AM radio stations, KIMA 1460 kHz, and KEPR 610 kHz, were split off under the ownership of Thomas C. "Tom" Bostic Jr., Cascade's original owner-manager. Filmways was later purchased by Orion Pictures
Orion Pictures
Orion Pictures Corporation was an American independent production company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998. It was formed in 1978 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and three former top-level executives of United Artists. Although it was never a large motion picture producer, Orion...
, which included the Cascade television stations. In 1972, Orion sold Cascade to NWG Broadcasting. In 1986, it was sold to Retlaw Enterprises
Retlaw Enterprises
Retlaw Enterprises is a privately held company owned by the heirs of entertainment mogul Walt Disney. Disney formed the company to control the rights to his name and to manage two Disneyland attractions that he personally owned. It is the successor company to WED Enterprises.-History:Retlaw was...
, Inc., a private Disney concern, and, sometime in 1995, it was sold to Fisher Communications
Fisher Communications
Fisher Communications is a media company in the United States. Based in Seattle, Washington, the company owns a number of radio and television stations in the Western United States.- Radio Stations :- Television Stations :...
of Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
.
Cascade Broadcasting Group (??–2009)
The second Cascade Broadcasting Group was an unrelated business. It owned or operated three television stations:- WBKI-TVWBKI-TVWBKI-TV is the CW-affiliated television station for the Kentuckiana area of North-Central Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Licensed to Campbellsville, Kentucky, the station broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 19 from a transmitter in Raywick, Kentucky...
channel 34, Campbellsville, KentuckyCampbellsville, KentuckyCampbellsville is a city in Taylor County, Kentucky, United States. The population within city limits was 10,498 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Taylor County, and the home of Campbellsville University...
, and two repeaters - W24BW channel 24, Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, KentuckyLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
(now WKYI-LD; owned by Greater Louisville Communications) - KWBA-TV channel 58, Sierra Vista, ArizonaSierra Vista, ArizonaSierra Vista is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 43,044....
Continued losses by this Cascade began to take a toll on the company. In 2008, it entered into an agreement to sell KWBA to Journal Broadcast Group and its Tucson station KGUN-TV; the Federal Communications Commission allowed Journal to buy the station later in the year by issuing a failing station waiver. WBKI was foreclosed on, and the Louisville stations were sold at auction to Fusion Communications; they later bought W24BW outright.