Ackerley Group

The Ackerley Group was an American media company founded by businessman Barry Ackerley that owned and operated several radio stations in Seattle, Washington, as well as television stations across the United States (primarily in New York and California, as well as one in Fairbanks, Alaska). The company also owned the NBA Seattle SuperSonics and WNBA Seattle Storm professional basketball teams. The Ackerley Group was sold to Clear Channel Communications^[1] (now iHeartMedia) in 2002.

The Ackerley Group

Company type	Public
Industry	Broadcasting, Media
Founded	1975; 50 years ago (1975)
Founder	Barry Ackerley
Defunct	June 14, 2002; 23 years ago (2002-06-14)
Fate	Merged with Clear Channel Communications
Successor	Clear Channel Communications
Headquarters	Seattle, Washington
Products	Television

Ackerley announced its sale to Clear Channel Communications on October 8, 2001;^[2] the merger was completed on June 14, 2002.^[3] At the time of the closure of the transaction, the sale price was reported to be 38 times cashflow (approximately $1.1B USD), the highest ever sale valuation for a North American publicly traded media company in the history of the NYSE. The record setting high price tag was attributed to the overwhelming market monopoly position of the Ackerley Group's Out of Home Media (billboards) marketplace in the Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts and South Florida media markets- all areas where Clear Channel was devoid of inventory. Barry Ackerley and his immediate family owned approximately 82% of the company stock at the time of the sale.

Former stations

• Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.

Stations owned by the Ackerley Group

Media market	State	Station	Purchased	Sold	Notes
Fairbanks	Alaska	KTVF	1999	2002
Bakersfield	California	KGET-TV	1983	2002
Eureka		KVIQ	1998	2000
Fresno		KGPE	2000	2002	[a]
Salinas–Monterey		KCBA	1986	2000	[b]
		KION	2000	2002	[c]
Santa Barbara		KCOY-TV	1999	2002
San Francisco–Oakland		KFTY	1996	2002
Colorado Springs–Pueblo	Colorado	KKTV	1983	1999
Binghamton	New York	WIVT	1998	2002
		WBGH-CA	2000	2002
Elmira		WETM-TV	2000	2002	[d]
Rochester		WOKR	1999	2002
Syracuse		WIXT-TV	1982	2002
Utica		WUTR	1997	2002
Watertown		WWTI	2000	2002
Eugene–Springfield	Oregon	KMTR	1999	2002
Bellingham	Washington	KVOS-TV	1985	2002

1. Known as KJEO prior to 2000.
2. Operated by Ackerley from 2000 until 2002.
3. Operated by Ackerley from 1994 until 2000.
4. Owned by a third party.