Hoak Media

Hoak Media was an American broadcast media company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Established in August 2003, the company built a portfolio of local television stations concentrated primarily in the Great Plains states and Colorado. At its peak, Hoak owned eighteen television stations, including satellite stations, serving small and medium-sized markets rather than the largest national broadcast centers. Its business was therefore centered on local television broadcasting, including the distribution of network and locally produced programming, advertising sales, and operation of stations under the regulatory and commercial framework applicable to U.S. broadcasters. The company’s portfolio included stations in markets such as Grand Junction, Colorado; Hastings, Nebraska; and Wichita Falls, Texas, among others. Hoak’s station strategy reflected the importance of local broadcast outlets in communities where a single station or small group of stations could provide network programming, local news, weather, emergency information, and regional advertising access. The company’s assets were held through a collection of station operations and, in some cases, arrangements involving satellites, joint sales agreements, local marketing agreements, or shared-services structures. A notable commercial dispute occurred in June 2012, when Hoak’s stations were removed from the Dish Network distribution platform after the parties failed to renew their carriage agreement. The disagreement was associated with Dish Network’s Hopper digital video recorder and its AutoHop commercial-skipping function, an issue that had also generated objections from major U.S. television networks. The episode illustrated the bargaining tension between local broadcasters seeking carriage and distribution revenue and pay-TV providers promoting greater viewer control over recorded programming. Hoak’s corporate identity changed substantially through a series of station divestitures announced in 2013 and completed in 2014. On November 20, 2013, Gray Television announced an agreement to acquire most of Hoak Media’s stations, alongside selected assets of Parker Broadcasting. Certain Hoak properties were excluded because of ownership and regulatory constraints in affected markets. KREX and WMBB were subsequently designated for sale to Nexstar Broadcasting Group, while KFQX was to be sold to Mission Broadcasting. The Gray transaction closed on June 13, 2014. The transaction also demonstrated the regulatory complications surrounding local television consolidation. Some stations could not obtain the required approval under the Federal Communications Commission’s then-recent treatment of joint sales agreements. As a result, certain facilities went silent and their programming was shifted to digital subchannels of Gray-owned stations. In Hastings, Nebraska, programming was moved from KHAS-TV to KSNB-TV, while KSNB-TV’s existing programming was placed on a subchannel. The silent stations were later sold to minority interests. Hoak retained KAUZ-TV after the principal 2014 divestiture. On August 10, 2015, Hoak announced an agreement to sell KAUZ-TV to American Spirit Media, a Charlotte-based company led by Thomas B. Henson. The station was to be operated under a shared-services arrangement by Raycom Media in connection with Raycom’s acquisition of Drewry Communications, which had operated KAUZ-TV under a joint sales agreement since 2009. The KAUZ-TV sale closed on December 1, 2015, completing the dissolution of Hoak Media as a station-owning company. No continuing Hoak Media operating business is identified in the supplied reference material.

Hoak Media was established in August 2003 as a U.S. broadcast media company based in Dallas, Texas. Its operations focused on owning and operating local television stations in small and medium-sized markets, especially across the Great Plains states and Colorado. Rather than building a nationwide consumer-facing television network, Hoak assembled a geographically dispersed group of local outlets. The company ultimately owned eighteen stations, counting satellite facilities, and participated in the commercial and operational structures common to American local broadcasting. Hoak’s stations served communities where local television remained a central source of network programming, local news, weather, emergency announcements, public-affairs content, and advertising. The portfolio included facilities associated with markets such as Grand Junction, Colorado; Hastings, Nebraska; and Wichita Falls, Texas. Some stations were connected through satellite relationships or other operational arrangements. These structures allowed programming and services to be coordinated while preserving local market identities. In June 2012, Hoak became involved in a carriage dispute with Dish Network. All of Hoak’s stations were removed from Dish’s service after the companies failed to renew their carriage agreement. The dispute was reported in the context of Dish’s Hopper digital video recorder and its AutoHop feature, which enabled viewers to skip commercials. The disagreement reflected a broader conflict between broadcasters, which depend on broad distribution and advertising-supported viewing, and distributors seeking to offer subscribers greater control over recorded programming. The company began dismantling its station portfolio in 2013. On November 20 of that year, Gray Television announced that it would purchase Hoak Media and Parker Broadcasting assets, subject to exclusions. Several Hoak stations could not simply be transferred to Gray because Gray already owned stations in markets affected by the transaction or because regulatory conditions limited the proposed arrangements. Some properties were initially associated with plans involving Excalibur Broadcasting and local marketing agreements. On December 19, the disposition plan was revised so that KREX and WMBB would go to Nexstar Broadcasting Group and KFQX would go to Mission Broadcasting. The main transaction closed on June 13, 2014. The completion did not result in every affected station continuing in its previous form. Following the Federal Communications Commission’s then-recent ruling concerning joint sales agreements, certain stations were unable to secure regulatory approval for their planned structures. Some therefore went off the air, with their programming moved to digital subchannels of Gray-owned stations. In Hastings, Nebraska, programming moved from KHAS-TV to KSNB-TV, while KSNB-TV’s prior programming was placed on a subchannel. Stations that went silent were later sold to minority interests. KAUZ-TV was excluded from the main group of Hoak assets sold in 2014 and remained Hoak’s last identified station. On August 10, 2015, Hoak announced that it would sell KAUZ-TV to American Spirit Media, a Charlotte, North Carolina–based company headed by Thomas B. Henson. The station was to be operated by Raycom Media under a shared-services agreement related to Raycom’s acquisition of Drewry Communications. Drewry had operated KAUZ-TV under a joint sales agreement since 2009. The KAUZ-TV transaction closed on December 1, 2015. With that sale, Hoak Media’s station ownership activity ended and the company was effectively disestablished as a broadcast station owner.

1. 2015KAUZ-TV sold

   Hoak sold its final identified station, KAUZ-TV, to American Spirit Media, completing the company’s exit from station ownership.

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2. 2014Principal station sale completed

   The principal transaction involving Hoak’s station portfolio closed, with selected assets transferred to Gray, Nexstar, and Mission Broadcasting.

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3. 2013Gray announces portfolio acquisition

   Gray Television announced plans to acquire most of Hoak Media’s stations, subject to market and regulatory exclusions.

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4. 2012Dish Network carriage interruption

   Hoak’s stations were removed from Dish Network after the companies failed to renew their carriage agreement.

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5. 2003Hoak Media established

   Hoak Media was established in August as a Dallas-based broadcast media company.

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A regional owner and operator of local broadcast television stations focused on small and medium-sized American markets, particularly in the Great Plains and Colorado.

• Local television stationsBroadcast television

  Hoak Media’s principal assets were local broadcast television stations serving small and medium-sized U.S. markets. These outlets carried network programming and local content, sold advertising, and provided community-oriented news, weather, public-affairs, and emergency information. The portfolio included eighteen stations when satellite facilities were counted, with a concentration in the Great Plains and Colorado.

• KAUZ-TVLocal television station

  KAUZ-TV in Wichita Falls, Texas was Hoak Media’s last identified station after the company’s principal portfolio transaction. Hoak announced its sale to American Spirit Media in August 2015, and the transaction closed on December 1 of that year. Raycom Media was expected to provide operating services under a shared-services arrangement.

• 2015Divestiture of KAUZ-TVM&A

  KAUZ-TV remained outside the main 2014 portfolio transaction and was Hoak Media’s last identified station.

  What changed. Hoak announced and completed the sale of KAUZ-TV to American Spirit Media, with Raycom Media expected to operate the station under a shared-services agreement.

  Aftermath. The closing on December 1 completed Hoak Media’s exit from television station ownership and its effective dissolution as a broadcast company.

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• 2013Sale of most station assetsM&A

  Hoak pursued a broad disposition of its television portfolio, with Gray Television selected as the principal buyer. Ownership overlaps and FCC-related constraints required several stations to be handled separately.

  What changed. Hoak agreed to sell most stations to Gray, while KREX and WMBB were directed to Nexstar Broadcasting Group and KFQX to Mission Broadcasting.

  Aftermath. The transactions closed in June 2014. Some stations went silent or shifted programming to digital subchannels because proposed operating arrangements did not receive regulatory approval.

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• 2012Withdrawal of stations from Dish NetworkOther

  Hoak and Dish Network did not renew the carriage agreement covering Hoak’s stations. The dispute emerged amid industry controversy over Dish’s Hopper DVR and AutoHop commercial-skipping feature.

  What changed. Hoak’s stations were removed from Dish Network on June 5, 2012.

  Aftermath. The interruption highlighted the negotiating leverage and distribution risks faced by local broadcasters in retransmission and carriage agreements.

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• 2015Hoak Media announces sale of KAUZ-TV

  Hoak announced the sale of its remaining station, KAUZ-TV, to American Spirit Media. Raycom Media was expected to operate the station through a shared-services agreement.

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• 2015KAUZ-TV sale completes Hoak Media’s dissolution

  The sale of KAUZ-TV closed on December 1, leaving Hoak Media without an identified remaining television station and completing the company’s exit from station ownership.

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• 2014Sale of most Hoak Media stations closes

  The principal sale of Hoak Media stations to Gray Television and related buyers was completed on June 13. Some stations went silent or shifted programming to digital subchannels because regulatory approval was not obtained for particular arrangements.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2013Gray Television announces acquisition of most Hoak Media stations

  Gray Television announced on November 20 that it would acquire most of Hoak Media’s television stations, with several properties excluded because of ownership and regulatory limitations in the affected markets.

  M&A
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• 2013KREX, WMBB, and KFQX assigned to separate buyers

  A later transaction update stated that KREX and WMBB would be sold to Nexstar Broadcasting Group and KFQX would be sold to Mission Broadcasting rather than transferred to Gray.

  M&A
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• 2012Hoak Media stations removed from Dish Network after carriage talks fail

  Hoak Media’s television stations were pulled from Dish Network on June 5 after the parties failed to renew their carriage agreement. The dispute was linked in reporting to Dish’s Hopper DVR and AutoHop commercial-skipping feature.

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1. Hoak Media