Grit (TV network)

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Grit
TypeDigital broadcast television network
(Movies)
Country
United States
AvailabilityNationwide via OTA digital television
(covering 86% of the U.S.)[1]
FoundedApril 3, 2014; 5 years ago (2014-04-03)
by Jonathan Katz
SloganTelevision with Backbone
HeadquartersAtlanta, Georgia
OwnerKatz Broadcasting, LLC
(E. W. Scripps Company)
ParentGrit Media, LLC
Key people
Jonathan Katz (president/CEO, Katz Broadcasting)
Bill Cox (SVP of programming, Grit)[2]
Launch date
August 18, 2014 (2014-08-18)[3]
Picture format
AffiliatesList of Grit affiliates
Official website
www.grittv.com

Grit is an American digital multicast television network that is owned by Katz Broadcasting.[4] The network features classic TV series and feature films targeted at men between the ages of 25 and 55 years old.

The network is available in many media markets via the digital subchannels of broadcast television stations and on the digital tiers of select cable providers through a local affiliate of the network.

Originally, Katz sold the network to affiliated TV stations via ad split but by October 2015 had moved to paying carriage fees in exchange for distributing the network's ad inventory.[5]1 Grit used direct response advertising as a meter of viewers before switching to Nielsen rating C-3.[5]3 It is available on Dish Network channel 217.

History[edit]

Grit was announced by Katz Broadcasting along with a sister network Escape on April 3, 2014, with a formal launch scheduled for that summer with initial affiliates announced at this time being Univision Communications owned stations.[4] On August 11, 2014, Katz announced that the two networks would launch simultaneously on August 18. Grit launched at Noon Eastern Time on that date,[6] with the 1952 film High Noon as the network's inaugural broadcast, leading off a week-long festival of John Wayne films.[3]

Katz estimated, based on direct response advertising business by September 2015, the network had over 250,000 prime time viewer and available in 91 million homes and 81% of the country. At that time, Grit along with its sister network, Escape, were signing up for national ratings from Nielsen. Previously handling the network's direct response advertising, Marathon Ventures would continue after the change over with advertising and sponsorship sales.[7]

Programming[edit]

Grit's program schedule is a mix of action/adventure television series and westerns such as Death Valley Days, Laramie, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, and Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, along with films encompassing the aforementioned genres.[8]

Katz Broadcasting president and CEO Jonathan Katz based the demographic-targeted concept of Escape and Grit after Bounce TV, a network Katz co-founded with Martin Luther King III and Andrew Young in 2011 that is targeted at African-American audiences. Katz stated Grit and Escape are "the country’s first ever male-centric and female-centric broadcast networks," featuring different programming from other classic television multicast networks that Katz referred to as "generic brands with generic names, created by studios to serve the studios."[9]

Movies[edit]

Grit's program schedule features an extensive library of films through multi-year program licensing agreements with several major film studios: Warner Bros. Pictures,[10] Universal Pictures,[11] Paramount Pictures [12] and Sony Pictures Entertainment.[13]

Affiliates[edit]

As of June 2016, Grit has current or pending affiliation agreements with television stations covering approximately 78% of the United States.[14]

When the network was first announced, Grit entered into an affiliation agreement with Univision Communications, which launched the network in 24 markets served by a station owned by the group or operated through local marketing agreements with Entravision Communications – giving Grit affiliates in 12 of the 20 largest U.S. television markets (including markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas-Fort Worth). The network immediately sought carriage on the digital subchannels of television stations owned by other broadcasting companies;[4] on June 17, 2014, Katz signed group deals to carry Grit on stations owned and/or operated by Raycom Media in 26 markets (Raycom was merged into Gray Television at the start of 2019).[15]

On July 17, 2014, Katz announced affiliation deals with the Cox Media Group to carry Grit on WFTV in Orlando and KMYT-TV in Tulsa; as well as KJWP in the Philadelphia market, and Citadel Communications-owned stations in Providence (WLNE-TV) and Lincoln (KLKN). It also expanded its affiliation deal with Univision Communications to add stations in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Phoenix to the network's originally announced Univision-owned charter affiliates.[16][17]

On October 9, 2014, the Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it would carry the network on stations it owns and/or operates in 47 markets.[18] The deal lasted for three years, and Sinclair dropped the network on their stations from February 2017 until the start of 2018 in preference for their co-owned network with MGM (and Grit's most direct competitor), Charge!.

On November 16, 2015, Katz announced an affiliation deal with Media General adding the network to five more markets.[19]

On June 15, 2016, Katz announced a more affiliation deal with Nexstar Broadcasting Group and Cordillera Communications's KATC-TV.[20]

List of affiliates[edit]

Starting December 8, 2018

City of license/market Station[21] Virtual
channel 		Owner Launch date Notes †

Alabama[edit]

Birmingham WBRC 6.3 Gray Television August 18, 2014
Huntsville WAFF 48.3
Montgomery WSFA 12.3
Mobile-Pensacola-
Fort Walton Beach		 WJTC 44.2 Deerfield Media January 1, 2015
Ozark (Dothan) WDFX-TV 34.3 Lockwood Broadcast Group August 18, 2014

Arizona[edit]

Phoenix KASW 61.3 Nexstar Media Group August 2016
KTVW-DT 33.3 Univision Communications August 18, 2014
Tucson KOLD-TV 13.3 Gray Television

Arkansas[edit]

Fayetteville KNWA-TV 51.3 Nexstar Media Group September 2016

California[edit]

Hanford (Fresno) KFTV-DT 21.4 Univision Communications August 18, 2014
Ontario (Los Angeles) KFTR-DT 46.4
Vallejo (San Francisco–
Oakland–San Jose)		 KFSF-DT 66.4
San Francisco-Oakland–San Jose KRON-DT 4.4 Nexstar Media Group
Monterey–Salinas KMMD-CD 39.3 Caballero Television January 22, 2018
San Diego (San Diego) KFMB-TV 8.3 Tegna July 2016
Santa Maria (Santa Barbara) KCOY-TV 12.3 News-Press & Gazette Company March 30, 2018
Stockton (Sacramento) KTFK-DT 64.4 Univision Communications

Colorado[edit]

Sterling (Denver) KCDO-TV 3.2 Channel 3 TV Company LLC

Connecticut[edit]

New Haven WCTX 59.2 Nexstar Media Group

Delaware[edit]

Wilmington (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) WDPN-TV 2.3 Maranatha Broadcasting Company, Inc. August 18, 2014

Florida[edit]

Fort Myers WGPS-LP 22.6 WGPS of Southwest Florida, LLC
Jacksonville WRCZ-LD 35.1 DTV America Corporation October 2, 2017
Hollywood (Miami) WAMI-DT 69.4 Univision Communications August 18, 2014
Orlando WRDQ 27.4 Cox Media Group April 15, 2015
Panama City WPGX 28.3 Lockwood Broadcast Group August 18, 2014
Tampa–St. Petersburg WFTS-TV 28.3 E. W. Scripps Company April 15, 2015
West Palm Beach WFLX 29.3 Gray Television
(operated by the E. W. Scripps Company)		 August 18, 2014

Georgia[edit]

Atlanta WGCL-TV 46.3 Meredith Corporation [14]
Augusta WFXG 54.3 Lockwood Broadcast Group August 18, 2014
Columbus WTVM 9.3 Gray Television
Savannah WTOC-TV 11.3 March 18, 2015

Hawaii[edit]

Honolulu KHNL 13.3 Gray Television August 18, 2014

Idaho[edit]

Boise KNIN 9.3 Gray Television March 2, 2017
Idaho Falls/Pocatello KPIF 15.3 Pocatello Channel 15, LLC October 2, 2017

Illinois[edit]

Champaign WCIA 3.4 Nexstar Media Group August 23, 2016
Joliet (Chicago) WGBO-DT 66.3 Univision Communications August 18, 2014
Rockford WTVO 17.4 Nexstar Media Group September 1, 2016
Springfield WCIX 49.5 Nexstar Media Group August TBD

Indiana[edit]

Evansville WFIE 14.3 Gray Television October 28, 2014
Fort Wayne WISE-TV 33.3 Quincy Media May 1, 2019
Indianapolis WRTV 6.2 E. W. Scripps Company October 1, 2016
Terre Haute WAWV-TV 38.2 Nexstar Media Group August 23, 2016

Iowa[edit]

Ottumwa–Keokuk, IA–Kirksville, MO KYOU-TV 15.3 American Spirit Media
(operated by Gray Television)		 August 18, 2014 Moved from 15.2, which joined NBC January 24, 2018

Kansas[edit]

Derby (Wichita) KDCU-DT 31.2 Entravision Communications Launched July 2, 2018
Lawrence–Kansas City, MO KMCI-TV 38.4 E. W. Scripps Company Launched April 15, 2015
Wichita KGPT-CD 26.3 Great Plains Television Network

Kentucky[edit]

Bowling Green WCZU-LD 39.5 DTV America Corporation September 23, 2016
Louisville WAVE 3.2 Gray Television August 18, 2014
Newport (Cincinnati, Ohio) WXIX-TV 19.3 July 2015

Louisiana[edit]

Baton Rouge WBXH-CD 39.3 Gray Television August 1, 2015
Lafayette KATC-TV 3.3 E. W. Scripps Company June 28, 2016
Lake Charles KPLC 7.4 Gray Television December 31, 2015 Moved to KPLC-TV DT4 when the CW was added in its old DT2 slot on August 31, 2017
Monroe/El Dorado KARD 14.3 Nexstar Media Group September 12, 2016
New Orleans WVUE-DT 8.3 Gray Television August 18, 2014
Shreveport KSLA 12.2 December 31, 2015

Maryland[edit]

Salisbury WGDV-LD 32.6 Marquee Broadcasting October 2016

Massachusetts[edit]

Marlborough (Boston) WUTF-DT 66.4 Univision Communications
(operated by Entravision Communications)		 April 1, 2017
New Bedford (Providence, Rhode Island) WLNE-TV 6.2 Citadel Communications August 18, 2014

Michigan[edit]

Battle Creek–Kalamazoo–Grand Rapids WOTV 41.3 Nexstar Media Group January 2016
Lake City–Cadillac–Traverse City WMNN-LD 26.5 Freelancer Television Broadcasting early 2016 Replaced original Grit affiliate WPBN-DT3
Mount Clemens–Detroit WADL 38.2 Adell Broadcasting Corporation July 15, 2015
Marquette WLUC-TV 6.3 Gray Television Group January 2014

Minnesota[edit]

Mankato-St. James K16CG-D 16.6 Cooperative Television
Minneapolis-St. Paul K33LN-D 33.7 HC2 Holdings
Redwood Falls K46FY-D 46.1 Redwood TV Improvement Corporation

Mississippi[edit]

Jackson WDBD 40.3 Gray Television October 2014

Missouri[edit]

Cape Girardeau–Paducah, KY KFVS-TV 12.3 Gray Television October 6, 2014
Columbia–Jefferson City KQFX-LD 22.3 News-Press & Gazette Company April 6, 2018
Joplin KODE-TV 12.2 Nexstar Media Group August 25, 2016
Springfield KOLR 10.3 August 20, 2016
St. Joseph KNPG-LD 21.5 News-Press & Gazette Company April 6, 2018

Montana[edit]

Billings–Hardin KHMT 4.3 Nexstar Media Group September 2, 2016

Nebraska[edit]

Lincoln KLKN 8.2 Citadel Communications August 18, 2014

New Jersey[edit]

Paterson (New York City) WXTV-DT 41.4 Univision Communications August 18, 2014

New Mexico[edit]

Albuquerque KWBQ 19.2 Tamer Media January 11, 2016
Roswell KRWB-TV 21.2

New York[edit]

Buffalo WKBW-TV 7.4 E. W. Scripps Company June 2017
Utica WUTR 20.3 Mission Broadcasting
(operated by Nexstar Media Group)		 September 3, 2016

North Carolina[edit]

Charlotte WBTV 3.3 Gray Television October 8, 2014
Greenville WPDU-LD 45.1 DTV America Corporation TBD
Wilmington WSFX-TV 26.3 American Spirit Media
(operated by Gray Television)		 August 18, 2014

North Dakota[edit]

Bismarck/Minot KNDB 26.3 BEK Sports Network, Inc August 2018
KNDM 24.3
Fargo/Valley City/Grand Forks KRDK-TV 4.6 (38) Major Market Broadcasting January 2015

Ohio[edit]

Cincinnati WXIX-TV 19.3 Gray Television July 2015
Cleveland WEWS-TV 5.2 E. W. Scripps Company April 14, 2017 Replaced Cozi TV[22]

The network was originally carried on WUAB 43.3 from August 18, 2014 until January 5, 2018 when its subchannel was deactivated. WUAB 43.3 continued to carry Grit, even after WEWS 5.2 picked up the network.

Toledo WTOL 11.3 Tegna November 18, 2014

Oklahoma[edit]

Oklahoma City KSBI 52.4 Griffin Communications Launched October 1, 2018[23][24]
Tulsa KMYT-TV 41.3 Cox Media Group August 18, 2014

Pennsylvania[edit]

Erie WFXP 66.3 Nexstar Media Group August 28, 2016
Johnstown/Altoona/State College WTAJ-TV 10.4 October 2017
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton WBRE-TV 28.3 August 27, 2016
Pittsburgh WPCW 19.3 CBS Corporation July 1, 2017

Puerto Rico[edit]

Culebra W46EO-D 45.1 TV Red de Puerto Rico, Inc.

South Carolina[edit]

Charleston WCSC-TV 5.3 Gray Television December 31, 2015
Columbia WIS 10.2
Greenville W28DB-D 28.3 Carolina Christian Broadcasting July 30, 2018
Myrtle Beach WMBF-TV 32.3 Gray Television August 18, 2014

Tennessee[edit]

Chattanooga WDEF-TV 12.4 Morris Multimedia January 8, 2018
Knoxville WTNZ 43.3 Lockwood Broadcast Group August 18, 2014
Memphis WMC 5.3 Gray Television December 31, 2015
Nashville WKRN-TV 2.4 Nexstar Media Group 2017

Texas[edit]

Abilene KRBC-TV 9.2 Nexstar Media Group August 25, 2016
Alvin (Houston) KFTH-DT 67.3 Univision Communications August 18, 2014
Amarillo KCIT 14.2 Nexstar Media Group August 25, 2016
Austin KNVA 54.2 January 29, 2016[25]
Del Rio (San Antonio) KYVV-TV 28.1 Stryker Media LLC July 1, 2018
El Paso KINT-TV 26.2 Entravision Communications June 2018
Irving (Dallas–Fort Worth) KSTR-DT 49.3 Univision Communications August 18, 2014
Laredo KXOF-CD 31.4 Entravision Communications July 23, 2018
Lubbock KCBD 11.3 Gray Television August 18, 2014
Midland-Odessa KMID 2.4 Nexstar Media Group September 2016
San Angelo KLST 8.3 August 25, 2016
San Antonio KWEX-DT 41.3 Univision Communications August 18, 2014
Wichita Falls KJTL 18.3 Nexstar Media Group September 1, 2016

Utah[edit]

Provo (Salt Lake City) KUCW 30.3 Nexstar Media Group September 2, 2016

Vermont[edit]

Burlington WVNY 22.3 Nexstar Media Group August 23, 2016

Virginia[edit]

Arlington (Washington, D.C.) WFDC-DT 14.3 Univision Communications
(operated by Entravision Communications		 August 18, 2014
Ashland (Richmond) WUPV 65.3 Gray Television

Washington[edit]

Tacoma-Seattle KSTW 11.3 CBS Corporation 2017
Vancouver (Portland, Oregon) KPDX 49.4 Meredith Corporation February 2017

West Virginia[edit]

Huntington-Charleston WOWK-TV 13.4 Nexstar Media Group October 2017

Wisconsin[edit]

Green Bay WACY-TV 32.2 E. W. Scripps Company August 11, 2015
La Crosse WLAX 25.4 Nexstar Media Group August 30, 2016
Madison WIFS 57.8 Byrne Acquisition Group, LLC April 30, 2018
Milwaukee WTMJ-TV 4.4 E. W. Scripps Company March 2018 moved to WTMJ from WCGV-DT3 (24.3), which left the air January 8, 2018[26]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Buckman, Adam (July 26, 2016). "Diginets Keep Growing, Despite Auction Cloud". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheck Media. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  2. ^ "Cox, Naar named Grit, Escape Programmers". TVNewsCheck. July 22, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Grit, Escape Diginets To Launch Aug. 18". TVNewsCheck. August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c Lafayette, Jon (April 3, 2014). "Exclusive: Bounce TV Exec Plans Two New Channels". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media, LLC. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Jessell, Harry A. (October 13, 2015). "OTA The Bedrock of Katz's Growing Diginets". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  6. ^ "New Grit and Escape Networks Set For August 18 Launch". August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  7. ^ Lafayette, Jon (September 15, 2015). "Diginets Grit and Escape Sign Up for National Ratings". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  8. ^ Lafayette, Jon (June 3, 2015). "Grit Network Buys Rights to 'Walker'". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media, LLC. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  9. ^ Guider, Elizabeth (June 18, 2014). "Classic TV Diginets Make The Old New Again". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  10. ^ Downey, Kevin (June 10, 2014). "Grit, Escape Diginets In Warner Bros. Deal". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  11. ^ "Grit & Escape Add 157 NBCU Movies To Library". TVNewsCheck. June 24, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  12. ^ "Paramount Movies Added to Escape, Grit Networks". Broadcasting & Cable. July 22, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  13. ^ "Grit, Escape Add Sony Pictures Films". TVNewsCheck. September 3, 2014.
  14. ^ a b Lafayette, Jon (March 20, 2015). "Meredith To Carry Grit, Escape, LAFF Networks". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media, LLC. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  15. ^ "Raycom To Carry New Escape, Grit Diginets". TVNewsCheck. June 17, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  16. ^ "Escape, Grit Diginets Expand Market Reach". TVNewsCheck. July 17, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  17. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda (July 17, 2014). "Cox, Univision & Others to Launch New Networks Escape and Grit in Major Markets". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  18. ^ Lafayette, Jon (October 9, 2014). "Sinclair to Carry New Grit Multicast Network". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media, LLC. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  19. ^ http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/katz-broadcasting-announces-major-distribution-agreements-with-media-general-and-tribune-media-300179251.html
  20. ^ http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/95521/katz-bounce-boost-diginet-distribution
  21. ^ "Stations for Network - Grit". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  22. ^ Dawidziak, Mark (April 14, 2017). "WEWS replaces Cozi TV programming with Grit on 5.2 channel". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  23. ^ "Over-The-Air Viewers Get 4 New Channels Starting Monday". KWTV-DT. Griffin Communications. October 1, 2018.
  24. ^ "New over-the-air TV channels coming to Oklahoma". Guthrie News-Leader. Ramsey Publishing Co. September 25, 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  25. ^ Gary Dinges (November 16, 2015). "Austin viewers get 2 new over-the-air TV networks". Austin American-Statesman.
  26. ^ Foran, Chris (8 March 2018). "Grit TV returns to Milwaukee's airwaves — on Channel 4.4". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

External links[edit]

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