20 Facts About Taft Broadcasting

Taft Broadcasting Company was an American media conglomerate based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1879, William Howard's brother, Charles Phelps Taft Broadcasting, purchased two afternoon newspapers in Cincinnati, The Times and The Cincinnati Daily Star, merging them into the Cincinnati Times-Star in 1880.

In 1961, Taft Broadcasting signed a group affiliation deal with ABC, converting all of the stations Taft Broadcasting had owned at that time, to the network.

In 1963, Taft Broadcasting purchased several stations from Transcontinent Television Corporation: WDAF-AM-FM-TV in Kansas City, Missouri, WGR-AM-FM-TV in Buffalo, New York, and WNEP-TV in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

In October 1966, Taft Broadcasting purchased the Hanna-Barbera cartoon studio from its founders, Joseph Barbera, William Hanna and George Sidney.

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Days after his death, his son Dudley S Taft replaced him on the firm's board of directors, and he eventually became head of the company.

In 1969, Taft Broadcasting purchased WIBF-TV in Philadelphia and changed its call letters to WTAF-TV.

In 1970, Taft Broadcasting formed Rhodes Productions, a television syndication arm for various independent TV programs, including those of Hanna-Barbera.

In 1972, Taft Broadcasting opened its first theme park, Kings Island, outside of Cincinnati.

Taft Broadcasting owned five other theme parks through its KECO Entertainment division.

In 1973, Taft Broadcasting sold WNEP-TV in Scranton to its management, called NEP Communications.

In 1974, Taft Broadcasting acquired Top 40 station KQV and rock outlet WDVE, both in Pittsburgh, from ABC Radio.

In 1979, Taft purchased WDCA-TV in Washington, D C from the Superior Tube Company.

Around this same period, Taft Broadcasting acquired independent distributor Worldvision Enterprises and production company QM Productions.

In 1980, Taft Broadcasting acquired Sunn Classic Pictures and two additional Schick divisions.

In 1983, Taft Broadcasting exchanged WGR-TV in Buffalo to General Cinema Corporation's Coral Television subsidiary in return for WCIX in Miami.

In 1985, Taft purchased Gulf Broadcasting, which includes KTXA in Fort Worth; KTXH in Houston; WTSP in St Petersburg, Florida; KTSP-TV in Phoenix; KESQ-TV in Palm Springs, California; and WGHP in High Point, North Carolina.

One month later, Taft Broadcasting announced the sale of both of those stations along with its three independent stations to the TVX Broadcast Group; the sale was completed in April 1987.

Taft Broadcasting sold WGR radio and WRLT-FM in Buffalo to Rich Communications, a subsidiary of Buffalo-based Rich Products.

Taft Broadcasting Company was purchased by TFBA Limited Partnership, which included Robert M Bass as a partner, in April 1987 for $1.