The Marks Group

The Marks Group is a Maryland-based operator of radio and television stations in small markets in the United States. Founded by Stephen A. Marks (1950–2022), the company holds two television properties.

History

Marks entered the broadcast ownership business in 1983 when he acquired 51 percent of Thunder Bay Broadcasting, which owned WBKB-TV, the only television station in Alpena, Michigan. Marks, a native of Maryland, had previously worked as a copywriter at WINX in Rockville, Maryland, before being employed by the Mutual Broadcasting System.[1]

Marks acquired KXGN radio and television in Glendive, Montana, in 1990. KXGN-TV, like WBKB-TV in Alpena, was the only TV station in its town, a fact Marks liked as it could then command all television advertising revenue in the market.[2][3] This transaction, as well as the purchase of Glendive FM station KDZN in 1995, required waivers on account of the financial condition of the small-market stations.[4] Further Montana broadcast properties were added with the 1995 purchase of KYUS-TV in Miles City[5] and the 1996 acquisition of KIKC-AM-FM in Forsyth.[6]

In 2003 Marks acquired WBKP and WBUP, together serving the Marquette, Michigan, television market.[7] Added in 2015 were four stations owned by Heartland Communications in Iron River, Michigan, and Park Falls, Wisconsin.[8]

Stephen Marks died on May 11, 2022, at the age of 72.[1][9] His widow Mary and family began selling the broadcast properties in 2023. GSB Broadcasting acquired WOWZ-FM in Accomac, Virginia, which it already was programming, in April,[10] while the Park Falls stations went to Civic Media in a deal announced in June.[11] In September, Morgan Murphy Media acquired the Michigan broadcasting properties—WBKB-TV, WBKP, WBUP, and the Houghton and Iron River radio stations—for $13.375 million.[12] The Montana and North Dakota radio stations were sold to Andrew Sturlaugson's P&A Media for $850,000 in February 2024,[13] leaving only KXGN-TV and KYUS-TV in the Marks Group; Sturlaugson had been the operations manager for the Glendive stations.[14]

In July 2025, the Marks Group announced that they would sell their last two stations to Montana State University (who own Montana PBS) for $375,000;[15] the remainder of KXGN-TV and KYUS-TV's value will be credited as a donation.[16]

Former stations

  • Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.
  • Two boldface asterisks appearing following a station's call letters (**) indicate a station built and signed on by The Marks Group.
Stations owned by The Marks Group
City of license State Station Purchased Sold Notes
Alpena Michigan WBKB-TV 1983 2023
Calumet WBKP 2003 2023 [i]
Houghton WCCY 2011 2023
WHKB 2011 2023
WOLV 2011 2023
Iron River WFER 2015 2023
WIKB-FM 2015 2023
Ishpeming WBUP 2003 2023
Forsyth Montana KIKC 1996 2024
KIKC-FM 1996 2024
Glendive KDZN 1995 2024
KXGN 1990 2024
KXGN-TV 1990 2025
Miles City KMTA 2006 2024
KYUS-FM 2006 2024
KYUS-TV 1995 2025
Sidney KGCX** 2004 2024
Belfield North Dakota KXDI** 2013 2024
Williston KDSR 2002 2024
KXWI** 2014 2024
Accomac Virginia WOWZ-FM 1998 2023 [ii]
Park Falls Wisconsin WCQM 2015 2023
WPFP 2015 2023
  1. ^ Satellite of WBUP.
  2. ^ Operated by GSB Media from 2017 until they acquired the station in 2023.

References

  1. ^ a b "Marks Media Group President Stephen Marks Passes Away". Inside Radio. May 16, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  2. ^ Buckman, Adam (July 3, 1989). "A tiny television transaction". Electronic Media. p. 8.
  3. ^ "One-to-a-market waived in Montana". Broadcasting. May 14, 1990. p. 44.
  4. ^ "Memorandum Opinion and Order" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. March 7, 1995. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  5. ^ Caton, William F. (February 27, 1995). "In re Application of Big Horn Communications, Inc. (Assignor) and KYUS Broadcasting Corporation (Assignee) For Consent to Assign the License for Station KYUS-TV, Channel 3 Miles City, Montana" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  6. ^ "Transactions". Radio & Records. April 5, 1996. p. 8.
  7. ^ "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. September 8, 2003. p. 38. ProQuest 225237001.
  8. ^ Venta, Lance (April 17, 2015). "Station Sales Week Of 4/17". RadioInsight.
  9. ^ "TV, Radio Station Owner Stephen Marks Dies". NorthPine: Upper Midwest Broadcasting. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  10. ^ Venta, Lance (April 21, 2023). "Station Sales Week Of 4/21". RadioInsight. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  11. ^ Venta, Lance (June 7, 2023). "Civic Media Acquires Two More In Wisconsin". RadioInsight. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  12. ^ Venta, Lance (September 14, 2023). "Morgan Murphy Media Acquires Northern Michigan TV/Radio Combo". RadioInsight. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  13. ^ Venta, Lance (February 9, 2024). "Station Sales Week Of 2/9". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
  14. ^ Ellis, Jon (February 12, 2024). "Ops Manager Buys Marks Radio Stations in Montana, North Dakota". NorthPine: Upper Midwest Broadcasting. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
  15. ^ Jacobson, Adams (July 9, 2025). "Marks Estate Sells Montana TV Pair To University". Radio & Television Business Report. Retrieved July 9, 2025.
  16. ^ Wyllie, Julian (July 10, 2025). "Montana PBS to acquire three stations in underserved region of the state". Current. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
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