Diversified Communications

History

Diversified was founded as Hildreth Broadcasting in 1949 when Horace Hildreth, the former governor of Maine, president of Bucknell University, and future U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, purchased Community Broadcasting Service, owner of Maine's oldest radio station, WABI in Bangor. In 1953, he launched Maine's first TV station, WABI-TV in Bangor.

In 1970, Hildreth Broadcasting entered the publishing and trade show business by merger with Journal Publications, the owner of National Fisherman and FISH EXPO Boston. The merged company became Diversified Communications. In 1972, it formed New England Cablevision which it sold in 2000. The company was also the original owner of Home Theater Network, until Westinghouse Broadcasting bought out a majority stake in the company in 1980.

Throughout the 1980s, Diversified Communications expanded its publishing and trade show business with products in the commercial marine and seafood industries. In 1993, it expanded internationally with the European Seafood Exposition. Diversified continued its international growth with the acquisition of Australia Exhibition Services in 2000, the formation of DBC Canada and the acquisition of UK-based Full Moon Communications in 2002. In 2004 it began to co-produce Kosherfest, a two-day trade show for the kosher-certified until it was discontinued after its last show in 2022. In 2009, Diversified Communications expanded into Hong Kong with the acquisition of Asia Business Events and established a presence in India with the acquisition of Infocast.

On July 15, 2014, the contracts that Diversified Communications had with Dish Network expired. Among the issues Diversified cited included financial terms, customer service issues between the station and Dish Network, and, in Bangor, viewership changes on Dish's part in several counties to another CBS station on account of DMA location (including WGME in the Portland area). After a breakdown on contract talks, which picked up slowly, an agreement was reached on October 8, 2014, allowing both stations to return to Dish Network later that day.

On February 16, 2017, it was announced that WABI-TV and sister station WCJB-TV in Gainesville, Florida would be sold to Gray Television for $85 million, pending FCC approval. It will make WCJB a sister station to WCTV (Gray Television's then-flagship station) in Tallahassee and WJHG-TV and WECP-LD in Panama City, while reuniting WABI-TV with WAGM-TV (which Gray acquired two years prior) in Presque Isle, Maine. The sale was completed on May 1, 2017.

In 2024, Diversified Communications updated its branding to operate under the name "Diversified" as its official doing business as name, introducing a new logo and visual identity. This rebranding coincided with the company's 75th anniversary, celebrating its legacy while positioning the organization for future growth and innovation.

Properties

Today, Diversified operates trade fairs on four continents, produces trade publications, and owns several digital businesses. SPAR Point Group, which focuses on the 3D imaging technologies sector, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Diversified.

Former stations

• Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.
• Two boldface asterisks appearing following a station's call letters (******) indicate a station built and signed on by Community Broadcasting Service or Diversified Communications.

References

1. (July 12, 2000), "Diversified Business Communications Acquires Australian Exhibition Services," TradeshowWeek.
2. (February 2009), "Nancy Hasselback, Steady Leadership ad Diversified Communications," Tradeshow Executive.
3. (April 27, 2009), "Diversified Heads for Hong Kong," TradeshowWeek.

References

1. "Our Story".
2. "History Cards for WABI-TV". [[Federal Communications Commission]]}} ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Radio Stations/History Cards.
3. (January 1, 1953). "FCC Approves Construction Here Of TV Station, First In Maine". Bangor Daily News.
4. (November 24, 1980). "In Brief". [[Broadcasting & Cable.
5. (2015). "Diversified Celebrates Kosherfest's 25th Anniversary". Diversified Business Communications.
6. (31 May 2023). "Kosherfest No More: Popular Food Show Says It is Discontinuing {{!}} Matzav.com".
7. "DISH Negotiations Notices | WABI TV5".
8. Diana Marszalek, [http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/local-tv/gray-buys-diversifieds-stations-bangor-gainesville/163391 Gray Buys Diversified's Stations in Bangor, Gainesville]{{Dead link. (July 2018)
9. [http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1756251&Service=DT&Form_id=905&Facility_id=16993 Consummation Notice], ''CDBS Public Access'', [[Federal Communications Commission]], Retrieved May 2, 2017.
10. "About". SPAR Point Group.