Luken Communications, LLC
 |
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| Private LLC | |
| Industry | Broadcast Television |
| Founded | Chattanooga, Tennessee (2008) |
| Founder | Henry Luken III |
| Headquarters | Chattanooga, Tennessee |
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Area served
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United States (Nationwide) |
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Key people
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Henry Luken III (president and CEO) |
| Products |
Television stations Digital broadcast television networks |
| Owner | Henry Luken III |
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Number of employees
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50 (2010) |
| Subsidiaries |
|
| Website | luken |
Luken Communications, LLC is a privately owned American broadcast holding company, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which owns or operates around 80 television stations in the United States and six digital television multicast networks.
Luken Communications (LC) was formed in 2008 by Henry Luken III, formerly president and CEO of Equity Media Holdings. Luken Communications agreed to purchase six TV stations from Equity Media for $17.5 million and paid a $5 million installment with the rest pending on regulatory approval. In June 2008, Equity sold to Luken Retro Television Network for $18.5 million and $8.05 million Equity warrants for $1.5 million.
On January 4, 2009, a contract conflict between Equity and Luken Communications interrupted RTN programming on many of its affiliates with Luken alleging that Equity had left many obligations to RTN's creditors, including programming suppliers, unpaid. As a result, Luken restored a national feed of the network from its Chattanooga headquarters. As a result of this dispute, Luken pulled out of a deal to purchase Equity's stations in southwestern Florida.
In June 2009, Luken and Seals Entertainment Company LLC launched the male-oriented digital multicast channel Tuff TV. On March 22, 2011, Luken became part-owners of My Family TV in a joint venture with existing owner ValCom (the network later rebranded as The Family Channel after ValCom and Luken Communications ended their partnership). In June 2011, Luken Communications announced the purchase of 78 low-power translator stations from the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council for $390,000; the purchase was made in order to expand coverage of its ten existing and planned digital multicast networks with hopes to eventually acquire 400 low-power stations. In late summer 2011, Luken and Classic Media launched PBJ, featuring classic children's programs from the Classic Media library. With Frost Cutlery's shopping network and outdoor shows, Luken launched in 2011 the Frost Great Outdoors network.
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