Quincy Media
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Predecessor | Quincy Newspapers, Inc. |
| Founded | June 1, 1926 in Quincy, Illinois, United States |
| Founder | Oakley and Lindsay families |
| Defunct | August 2, 2021 |
| Fate | Television properties acquired by Gray Television; newspaper division sold to Phillips Media Group; some stations sold to Allen Media Group |
| Headquarters | Quincy, Illinois , United States |
Area served | United States (regional media markets) |
Key people | Ralph Oakley (CEO until 2021) |
| Products | Newspapers, radio stations, television stations |
| Owner | Oakley and Lindsay families |
Quincy Media, Inc., previously known as Quincy Newspapers, Inc., was a family-operated media enterprise headquartered in Quincy, Illinois, with roots reaching back to 1835. Owned by the Oakley and Lindsay families, it transformed from its original newspaper foundation into a diversified multimedia company that included radio and television broadcasting.
History
Established on June 1, 1926, Quincy Newspapers emerged from the consolidation of the Quincy Herald—which traced its lineage to the 1835 Illinois Bounty Land Register—and the Quincy Whig-Journal, founded in 1838. This merger created the daily publication Quincy Herald-Whig. The ownership group featured prominent business figures such as Charles L. Miller along with the Oakley family, who laid down a durable corporate framework.
Quincy entered the broadcasting arena in 1947 by launching its initial FM radio station, WQDI. This was followed by acquisitions of AM stations and television outlets, including WGEM-TV in 1953, marking its debut in television broadcasting. The company’s main office in downtown Quincy also accommodated broadcast studios and provided extended-stay lodging.
During the 1970s and subsequent decades, Quincy Media followed a deliberate expansion strategy by acquiring numerous television stations in regional markets: WSJV in Indiana (1974); KTTC in Minnesota (1976); WVVA in West Virginia (1979); KTIV in Iowa (1989); and WREX-TV in Illinois (1995). Most of these stations were affiliated with NBC, thereby increasing its market share within medium-sized regions.
In June 2001, Quincy considerably broadened its holdings by purchasing five ABC-affiliated stations in Wisconsin from Shockley Communications, along with digital assets from ProVideo of Wisconsin. This move enhanced its regional influence and diversified its offerings. The company also implemented shared services agreements to improve operational efficiency.
Additional acquisitions included KWWL in Iowa (2006) and WMOW in Wisconsin (2009), demonstrating ongoing investment in broadcast properties. Between 2014 and 2015, Quincy pursued further station purchases from Granite Broadcasting and Malara Broadcast Group across Illinois, Minnesota, New York, and Indiana. These transactions involved intricate arrangements designed to meet FCC regulations while expanding market presence.
In 2015, the company updated its primary newspaper’s branding to the Herald-Whig, reflecting modernization efforts within its print division. It also invested in office space growth by renovating historic buildings.
By 2016, the organization officially adopted the name Quincy Media, signifying a wider corporate identity that encompassed multiple media platforms.
In May 2018, Quincy acquired full ownership of KDLH and WISE stations for less than $2 million combined. This acquisition was structured to comply with FCC ownership limitations based on market rankings, consolidating its station portfolio.
Later that year, Quincy encountered distribution interruptions when Dish Network removed its channels amid retransmission fee disagreements but quickly resolved these issues to preserve viewer access.
The company continued strategic expansion by purchasing KVOA in Arizona for $70 million and WSIL-TV in Illinois for $24.5 million toward the end of 2018, extending its reach into new geographic territories.
In May 2019, Quincy Media acquired the Hannibal Courier-Post, marking its first newspaper acquisition since 1969 while simultaneously selling the New Jersey Herald, refining its portfolio toward more concentrated regional operations.
On January 7, 2021, CEO Ralph Oakley disclosed that Quincy Media was considering selling the business. Subsequently, Gray Television agreed to acquire all television properties for $925 million on February 1, 2021. To adhere to regulatory mandates, several stations were sold to Allen Media Group for $380 million. At the same time, Phillips Media Group purchased Quincy's newspaper division through a separate transaction. These agreements were finalized on August 2, 2021, concluding nearly a century of independent operation under family stewardship for Quincy Media.
Newspapers
- Herald-Whig, located in Quincy, Illinois – transferred ownership to Phillips Media Group.
- Hannibal Courier-Post, based in Hannibal, Missouri – acquired by Phillips Media Group.
Television and radio
- Stations are organized alphabetically according to their state and city of license.
- Stations that were established and launched by Quincy are marked with two bold asterisks (**).
| Media market | State | Station | Acquisition year | Divestiture year | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson | Arizona | KVOA | 2019 | 2021 | |
| Harrisburg–Carbondale | Illinois | WSIL-TV | 2019 | 2021 | |
| Peoria | WHOI | 2015 | 2016 | Operated by Quincy but owned by an external party. | |
| WEEK-TV | 2015 | 2021 | |||
| Quincy | WGEM ** | 1948 | 2021 | ||
| WGEM-FM ** | 1947 | 2021 | Originally known as WQDI from 1947 until 1953. | ||
| WGEM-TV ** | 1953 | 2021 | |||
| Rockford | WREX | 1995 | 2021 | ||
| Fort Wayne | Indiana | WISE-TV | 2018 | 2021 | |
| WPTA | 2015 | 2021 | |||
| South Bend | WSJV | 1975 | 2021 | ||
| Sioux City | Iowa | KTIV | 1989 | 2021 | |
| Waterloo–Cedar Rapids | KWWL | 2006 | 2021 | ||
| Chisholm | Minnesota | KRII-TV | 2015 | 2021 | Functioned as a satellite station of KBJR-TV. |
| Duluth | KBJR-TV | 2015 | 2021 | ||
| KDLH | 2018 | 2021 | |||
| Rochester | KTTC | 1976 | 2021 | ||
| KXLT-TV | 2001 | 2021 | Owned by a third party. | ||
| Poplar Bluff | Missouri | KPOB-TV | 2019 | 2021 | Operated as a satellite station of WSIL-TV. |
| Binghamton | New York | WBNG-TV | 2015 | 2021 | |
| Bluefield–Beckley | West Virginia | WVVA | 1979 | 2021 | |
| Crandon | Wisconsin | WMOW | 2009 | 2021 | Satellite of WAOW. |
| Eagle River | WYOW | 2001 | 2021 | Currently operates as a satellite of WSAW-TV. | |
| Eau Claire | WQOW | 2001 | 2021 | Functions as a semi-satellite of WXOW. | |
| La Crosse | WXOW | 2001 | 2021 | ||
| Madison | WKOW | 2001 | 2021 | ||
| WAOW | 2001 | 2021 |
External links
- QuincyMediaCareers — official platform since 2018
- Quincy — archived resource spanning 2011 to 2018
- Quincy Newspapers, Inc. — archived portal from 2005 through 2011
- Articles with short description
- 1926 establishments in Illinois
- 2021 disestablishments in Illinois
- Companies based in Adams County, Illinois
- Defunct newspaper companies of the United States
- Defunct broadcasting companies of the United States
- Defunct radio broadcasting companies of the United States
- Defunct television broadcasting companies of the United States
- Defunct companies based in Illinois
- Newspaper companies of the United States
- Newspapers published in Illinois
- Quincy–Hannibal area
- American companies established in 1926
- American companies disestablished in 2021
- Publishing companies established in 1926
- Mass media companies established in 1926
- Mass media companies disestablished in 2021
- 2021 mergers and acquisitions
- Privately held companies based in Illinois
- Family-owned companies of the United States
- Gray Media
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment