United Communications Corporation
Encyclopedia
United Communications Corporation (UCC) is a privately owned publisher and operator of three daily newspapers, several weekly newspaper
s and three television
stations in the U.S. states of Illinois
, Massachusetts
, Minnesota
, South Dakota
and Wisconsin
. The company is based at the headquarters of its original and flagship property, the Kenosha News
of Kenosha, Wisconsin
.
.
UCC then entered the television business through two sales mandated by Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) competition rules. The Watertown Daily Times
of Watertown, New York,
sold WWNY-TV
for $8.2 million in 1981; the national media chain Lee Enterprises
sold KEYC-TV
in Mankato, Minnesota
, in 1977.
In the 21st century, UCC added its last two properties, founding WNYF-CA
, a low-power television station in Watertown, New York, in 2001, and a year later buying the Watertown Public Opinion
in eastern South Dakota
.
Owner and President Howard J. Brown died April 29, 2011.
UCC's broadcast holdings include three television stations:
Weekly newspaper
A weekly newspaper is a general-news publication that is published on newsprint once or twice a week.Such newspapers tend to have smaller circulations than daily newspapers, and are usually based in less-populous communities or small, defined areas within large cities; often, they may cover a...
s and three television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
stations in the U.S. states of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The company is based at the headquarters of its original and flagship property, the Kenosha News
Kenosha News
The Kenosha News is a morning daily newspaper published in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA, serving southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois...
of Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
.
History
Founded in 1961 by the Brown family, upon its purchase of the News, the company added a Massachusetts newspaper in the 1970s, buying two competing newspapers -- the Attleboro Sun and North Attleborough Chronicle -- and merging them into The Sun ChronicleThe Sun Chronicle
The Sun Chronicle is a daily newspaper in Attleboro, Massachusetts, USA...
.
UCC then entered the television business through two sales mandated by 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...
(FCC) competition rules. The Watertown Daily Times
Watertown Daily Times
The Watertown Daily Times is a daily newspaper published in Watertown, New York. It provides coverage of Jefferson County, Lewis County, and St. Lawrence County. It was founded in 1861....
of Watertown, New York,
sold WWNY-TV
WWNY-TV
WWNY-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Upstate New York's North Country region, licensed to Carthage. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 7 from a transmitter along State Street/NY 126 in Wilna's Carthage section. The station can also be seen on Time Warner...
for $8.2 million in 1981; the national media chain Lee Enterprises
Lee Enterprises
Lee Enterprises is a publicly traded American media company. It publishes 54 daily newspapers in 23 states, and more than 300 weekly, classified, and specialty publications. Lee Enterprises was founded in 1890 by A.W. Lee and is based in Davenport, Iowa....
sold KEYC-TV
KEYC-TV
KEYC-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Mankato, Minnesota & Redwood Falls, Minnesota. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter in Lewisville. The station can also be seen on Charter channel 10 and in high definition on digital channel 782...
in Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
, in 1977.
In the 21st century, UCC added its last two properties, founding WNYF-CA
WNYF-CA
WNYF-CD is a Class A television station licensed to Watertown, New York. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 35 from a transmitter along State Street/NY 126 in the Carthage section of Wilna. WNYF-LD is a low-powered television station licensed to Massena...
, a low-power television station in Watertown, New York, in 2001, and a year later buying the Watertown Public Opinion
Watertown Public Opinion
The Watertown Public Opinion is a six-day daily newspaper published in Watertown, South Dakota, USA, serving eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota...
in eastern South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
Owner and President Howard J. Brown died April 29, 2011.
Properties
UCC's newspaper holdings include three daily newspapers and their associated weeklies:- Kenosha NewsKenosha NewsThe Kenosha News is a morning daily newspaper published in Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA, serving southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois...
of Kenosha, WisconsinKenosha, WisconsinKenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
(also covering northeastern IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
), acquired 1961. - The Sun ChronicleThe Sun ChronicleThe Sun Chronicle is a daily newspaper in Attleboro, Massachusetts, USA...
of Attleboro, MassachusettsAttleboro, MassachusettsAttleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States and is immediately north of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers, Attleboro had a population of 42,068 at the 2000 census, and a population of 43,645 as of...
, acquired 1970. - Watertown Public OpinionWatertown Public OpinionThe Watertown Public Opinion is a six-day daily newspaper published in Watertown, South Dakota, USA, serving eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota...
of Watertown, South DakotaWatertown, South DakotaWatertown is a city in and the county seat of Codington County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 21,482 at the 2010 census. It is also the principal city of the Watertown Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Codington and Hamlin counties...
(also covering western MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
), acquired 2002.
UCC's broadcast holdings include three television stations:
- KEYC-TVKEYC-TVKEYC-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Mankato, Minnesota & Redwood Falls, Minnesota. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter in Lewisville. The station can also be seen on Charter channel 10 and in high definition on digital channel 782...
, a CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate, of Mankato, MinnesotaMankato, MinnesotaMankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 39,309 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Minnesota outside of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located...
, acquired 1977. - WWNY-TVWWNY-TVWWNY-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Upstate New York's North Country region, licensed to Carthage. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 7 from a transmitter along State Street/NY 126 in Wilna's Carthage section. The station can also be seen on Time Warner...
, a CBS affiliate, of Watertown, New York, acquired 1981. - WNYF-CAWNYF-CAWNYF-CD is a Class A television station licensed to Watertown, New York. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 35 from a transmitter along State Street/NY 126 in the Carthage section of Wilna. WNYF-LD is a low-powered television station licensed to Massena...
, a FoxFox Broadcasting CompanyFox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate, of Watertown, New York, founded 2001.