United Communications
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 1961 |
| Founder | Brown family |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Minnesota, New York, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, South Dakota |
Key people | Howard J. Brown (former owner and president), Lucy Brown Minn (president from 2013), Elizabeth K. Brown (board chairwoman from 2013) |
| Products | Television stations, newspapers |
United Communications Corporation (UCC) operated as a privately held company managing three television stations located in Minnesota and New York. In addition to broadcasting, the corporation owned the Kenosha News based in Kenosha, Wisconsin along with two other daily newspapers.
History
The Brown family established UCC in 1961 by acquiring the News. During the 1970s, the company grew its newspaper holdings by purchasing two rival Massachusetts publications—the Attleboro Sun and the North Attleborough Chronicle—which were subsequently combined to form The Sun Chronicle.
UCC's entry into television resulted from FCC-required divestitures: in 1981, the Watertown Daily Times sold WWNY-TV for $8.2 million, while Lee Enterprises transferred ownership of KEYC-TV in Mankato, Minnesota in 1977.
In the early 2000s, UCC expanded its broadcast portfolio by launching WNYF-LP, a low-power TV station in Watertown, New York established in 2001, and acquiring the Watertown Public Opinion newspaper in eastern South Dakota in 2002.
Howard J. Brown, who served as owner and president, passed away on April 29, 2011. Leadership transitioned in March 2013 when his daughter Lucy Brown Minn assumed the presidency, and Elizabeth K. Brown took on the role of board chairwoman.
Newspapers
- Kenosha News, located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, was acquired in 1961 and sold in 2019.
- The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro, Massachusetts, purchased in 1970 and sold in 2018.
- Watertown Public Opinion based in Watertown, South Dakota, acquired in 2002 and sold in 2016.
Television
- KEYC-TV, a dual affiliate of CBS (DT1) and Fox (DT2) serving Mankato, Minnesota, acquired in 1977 and divested in 2019.
- WWNY-TV, a CBS affiliate broadcasting from Watertown, New York, acquired in 1981 and sold in 2019.
- WNYF-CD, a Fox affiliate located in Watertown, New York, founded in 2001 and sold in 2019.