Roberts Broadcasting
Encyclopedia
Roberts Broadcasting Company is a media company based in St. Louis, Missouri
. It is a subsidiary of the parent company, the Roberts Companies, one of the largest African American owned conglomerates and is co-owned by brothers Steven and Michael Roberts. The company owns four network affiliates, including St. Louis' MyNetworkTV
affiliate WRBU
, as well as CW
affiliates WZRB
in Columbia, South Carolina
, WAZE-TV
in Evansville, Indiana
and WRBJ in Jackson, Mississippi
. It also owns other television stations in selected US
markets. It owns one radio station, WRBJ-FM
in Jackson.
Roberts Broadcasting filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
on October 7, 2011; the company cited the loss of the UPN
affiliations for WRBU, WZRB, and WRBJ when that network shut down in favor of The CW in 2006, as much of UPN's programming consisted of minority-targeted programs that Roberts felt were compatible with their stations' target audiences (though the stations have since more-or-less recovered from this setback; additionally, WAZE had instead affiliated with The WB
prior to 2006, as it was owned by South Central Communications
until February 2007). The company has also been hit with lawsuits from Warner Bros. Television
, Twentieth Television, and CBS Television Distribution
over fees for syndicated programming; Roberts eventually settled with Twentieth but lost the Warner Bros. and CBS cases.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. It is a subsidiary of the parent company, the Roberts Companies, one of the largest African American owned conglomerates and is co-owned by brothers Steven and Michael Roberts. The company owns four network affiliates, including St. Louis' MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
affiliate WRBU
WRBU
WRBU is the MyNetworkTV television affiliate for the St. Louis, Missouri area. The station is licensed to East St. Louis, Illinois, and is the flagship station of Roberts Broadcasting. It is the only major St. Louis station that is licensed on the Illinois side of the market, though its studios...
, as well as CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
affiliates WZRB
WZRB
WZRB, channel 47, is The CW Television Network affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. It is owned by St. Louis-based Roberts Broadcasting and its transmitter is located in Columbia.WZRB was launched on January 1, 2005, as a UPN affiliate...
in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, WAZE-TV
WAZE-TV
WAZE-TV was a television station in Madisonville, Kentucky, in the United States, serving the Evansville, Indiana DMA. The station, which was owned by Roberts Broadcasting WAZE-TV was a television station in Madisonville, Kentucky, in the United States, serving the Evansville, Indiana DMA. The...
in Evansville, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
and WRBJ in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
. It also owns other television stations in selected US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
markets. It owns one radio station, WRBJ-FM
WRBJ-FM
WRBJ-FM is an Urban Contemporary radio station in Jackson, Mississippi. The station is owned and operated by Roberts Broadcasting, owners of The CW television affiliate WRBJ...
in Jackson.
Roberts Broadcasting filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
on October 7, 2011; the company cited the loss of the UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
affiliations for WRBU, WZRB, and WRBJ when that network shut down in favor of The CW in 2006, as much of UPN's programming consisted of minority-targeted programs that Roberts felt were compatible with their stations' target audiences (though the stations have since more-or-less recovered from this setback; additionally, WAZE had instead affiliated with The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
prior to 2006, as it was owned by South Central Communications
South Central Communications
South Central Communications is a privately owned media company based in Evansville, Indiana, and owned and operated by the Engelbrecht family: John D. Engelbrecht , JP Engelbrecht , and Bettie G...
until February 2007). The company has also been hit with lawsuits from Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
, Twentieth Television, and CBS Television Distribution
CBS Television Distribution
CBS Television Distribution is a global television distribution company, formed from the merger of CBS Corporation's two domestic television distribution arms CBS Paramount Domestic Television and King World Productions, including its home entertainment arm CBS Home Entertainment...
over fees for syndicated programming; Roberts eventually settled with Twentieth but lost the Warner Bros. and CBS cases.