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Consolidation Swallows Another TV Pioneer

Jan 11, 2011  •  Post A Comment

When Adam Young started his rep firm in 1944, World War II was still raging, radio was king, and  there were but nine TV stations in the entire United States.

In New York there were NBC’s WNBT, CBS’ WCBW and DuMont’s WABD (later to become, respectively, WNBC, WCBS and WNYW); in Schenectady, NY, there was General Electric’s WRGB; in L.A. there were Don Lee’s W6XAO and Television Prods.’ W6XYZ (now KCBS and KTLA, respectively); in Philadelphia there was Philco’s WPTZ (which eventually evolved into KYW); and in Chicago there were Balaban and Katz’s WBKB (which eventually became WBBM) and Zenith’s W9XZV (which eventually evolved into Channel 4 on the dial, which is not now assigned a TV station in Chicago).

From those pioneering days 67 years ago, Young became a significant player in the rep firm business. Now, Adam Young Inc. will be shut down at the end of January by Young Broadcasting, reports B&C.

Adam Young Inc. was acquired by sibling Young Broadcasting in 1997, the story notes.

Cox Reps, now the biggest TV rep firm in the U.S., will represent Young Broadcasting for national sales, the story notes, with the firm planning to create a Young Broadcasting sales team based in New York, L.A. and Chicago, the article adds.

"The TV rep business has changed dramatically over the past decade, with an increasingly complex business environment forcing a wave of consolidations," said Young Broadcasting president Deborah McDermott. She said the decision was made with "mixed emotions."

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