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Bahakel Communications

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bahakel Communications
TypePrivate
IndustryMedia
Founded1953; 73 years ago (1953)
FounderCy Bahakel
Headquarters,
United States
ProductsTelevision
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

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Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and by city of license.

Current stations

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Television

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  • (**) - Indicates a station that was built and signed-on by Bahakel Communications.
Media market State/Dist. Station Purchased Sold Notes
SelmaMontgomery 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
  1. Previously owned from 1964-1985.
  2. Owned by SagamoreHill Broadcasting and operated by Bahakel via shared services agreement (SSA).

Radio

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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

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Television

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Media market State Station Purchased Sold Notes
SpringfieldDecatur Illinois WRSP-TV 1982 2007
UrbanaChampaign, IL WCCU 1982 2007 [A]
Terre Haute Indiana WBAK-TV 1977 2003
GreenwoodGreenville Mississippi WABG-TV ** 1959 2007
FayettevilleRaleighDurham North Carolina WKFT-TV 1996 2003
Jackson Tennessee WBBJ-TV 1966 2026
  1. satellite of WRSP-TV.

Radio

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Media market State/Dist. Station Purchased Sold Notes
GreenwoodGreenville Mississippi WABG ** 1950 2007
Greensboro North Carolina WPET 1987 2001
WKSI 1987 2001
WaterlooCedar Rapids Iowa KFMW 1996 2012 [3]
KOKZ 1962 2012
KWLO 1996 2012
KXEL 1958 2012 [4]

References

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  1. "About Us". Bahakel Digital. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  2. "Owner of WDEF, WDOD Radio Stations Dies in Charlotte". April 23, 2006.
  3. "Don Morehead to head radio station alliance". The Courier. Waterloo, Iowa. September 1, 1996. p. C2. Retrieved July 28, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Station KXEL Sold to Virginia Man". Waterloo Daily Courier. Waterloo, Iowa. September 18, 1958. p. 5. Retrieved July 28, 2025 via Newspapers.com.