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Station Groups

Like many other industries, the television industry has consolidated in recent decades, and many stations are now owned by station groups. This creates a practical advantage for businesses, because in order to advertise on a large number of TV stations, you only have to go to a few TV station group owners.

Television station owner groups vary greatly in the number of TV station affiliates they own. They also vary in their coverage areas. You'll want to know the exact reach of each TV stations group before you buy advertisements, so this guide will help you locate:

1. Network TV station groups;

2. Large television station group owners;

3. And small TV station owner groups.

Advertise with network TV station group owners

Buying ads through network TV station group owners allows you to target customers in some of the biggest cities in America. The major networks own television stations in cities such as New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Try: The NBC station group, known as NBC Universal Television Group, owns 10 NBC television stations in major markets that include, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and Miami. ABC and its parent company, Disney, also own TV station affiliates in many of the country's top markets.

Do business with a large TV station group

A large TV station group can help you place ads that will appear in a great number of television markets across the country. Large groups also have a greater inventory of available spots, so you may find it easier to get into a time period that you desire.
Try: ION Media Networks claims to be the largest television station group in the United States, as measured by the number of homes that the company's stations can reach. ION owns or operates a total of 60 television stations, including stations in each of the country's top 20 markets. Another of the country's largest station groups is Hearst-Argyle Television. The company owns 26 television stations, reaching 18% of the homes in America.

Locate small television station groups

Buying advertising through small television station groups allows you to specifically target a small number of markets. Additionally, a small TV stations group is more likely to help you conduct a creative ad buy that could maximize your advertising dollars.
Try: Young Broadcasting owns stations in small- to medium-sized markets such as Richmond, Virginia, and Lafayette, Louisiana. Young also owns KRON in San Francisco. The Washington Post Company's Post-Newsweek Group owns and operates six television stations in cities such as Houston, Detroit and San Antonio.

Some station groups also own interests in other forms of media, such as newspapers. You may be able to get a better deal if you package your ad buy to include print, Internet, radio and television ads.

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