Bahakel Communications
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Founder | Cy Bahakel |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Products | Television Radio |
Bahakel Communications, Ltd. is an American communications company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, that is wholly owned and operated by the Bahakel family. The company was founded by Cy Bahakel in 1953,[1] who ran it until his death on April 20, 2006, at the age of 87.
Bahakel's broadcasting properties include fourteen radio and television stations in Alabama, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The group's properties are primarily concentrated on the Southern United States for its television stations, and the Colorado Springs and Chattanooga areas for their radio properties.
Stations
Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and by city of license.
Current stations
Television
- (**) - Indicates a station that was built and signed-on by Bahakel Communications.
| Media market | State/Dist. | Station | Purchased | Sold | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selma–Montgomery | Alabama | WAKA | 1985 | CBS | |
| WBMM | 2011 | The CW (via The CW Plus) | |||
| WNCF | 2011 | ABC | [a][b] | ||
| Charlotte | North Carolina | WCCB ** | 1964 | Independent | |
| Columbia | South Carolina | WOLO-TV | 1964 | ABC | |
| Myrtle Beach | WFXB | 2006 | Fox |
- ↑ Previously owned from 1964-1985.
- ↑ Owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting and operated by Bahakel via shared services agreement (SSA).
Radio
| Media market | State | Station | Purchased | Current format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | KILO | 1984 | Active rock | |
| Pueblo West | KRXP | 1999 | Alternative rock | ||
| Chattanooga | Tennessee | WXCT | 1997 | Album adult alternative | |
| WDEF-FM | 1997 | Adult contemporary | |||
| WDOD-FM | 1963 | Contemporary hit radio | [2] | ||
| South Pittsburg | WUUQ | 2010 | Classic country |
Former stations
Television
| Media market | State | Station | Purchased | Sold | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield–Decatur | Illinois | WRSP-TV | 1982 | 2007 | |
| Urbana–Champaign, IL | WCCU | 1982 | 2007 | [A] | |
| Terre Haute | Indiana | WBAK-TV | 1977 | 2003 | |
| Greenwood–Greenville | Mississippi | WABG-TV ** | 1959 | 2007 | |
| Fayetteville–Raleigh–Durham | North Carolina | WKFT-TV | 1996 | 2003 | |
| Jackson | Tennessee | WBBJ-TV | 1966 | 2026 |
- ↑ satellite of WRSP-TV.
Radio
| Media market | State/Dist. | Station | Purchased | Sold | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwood–Greenville | Mississippi | WABG ** | 1950 | 2007 | |
| Greensboro | North Carolina | WPET | 1987 | 2001 | |
| WKSI | 1987 | 2001 | |||
| Waterloo–Cedar Rapids | Iowa | KFMW | 1996 | 2012 | [3] |
| KOKZ | 1962 | 2012 | |||
| KWLO | 1996 | 2012 | |||
| KXEL | 1958 | 2012 | [4] |
References
- ↑ "About Us". Bahakel Digital. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ↑ "Owner of WDEF, WDOD Radio Stations Dies in Charlotte". April 23, 2006.
- ↑ "Don Morehead to head radio station alliance". The Courier. Waterloo, Iowa. September 1, 1996. p. C2. Retrieved July 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Station KXEL Sold to Virginia Man". Waterloo Daily Courier. Waterloo, Iowa. September 18, 1958. p. 5. Retrieved July 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.