Emmis Communications is an Indianapolis-based radio and television group. Emmis is a Hebrew word meaning "truth."
In 1980 Emmis Broadcasting founder Jeffrey Smulyan purchased his flagship radio station WENS (now WLHK) in Indianapolis. The station's success led him to purhase other radio stations throughout the country. Around 1984 the company brought KPWR in Los Angeles. In 1986 the company's expansion grew as they purchased WAPP (renamed WQHT) and WHN (now WFAN) in New York as well as WAVA-FM in Washington D.C. from the Doubleday Broadcasting Company. Emmis took full advantage of the money-minded 1980's as it acquired five NBC radio stations in 1988 but ended up selling two stations to avoid a situation known as a duopoly. Emmis purhased the Seattle Marinersin1989 but sold them in 1992. In 1994 the company purchased WIBC and WNAPinIndianapolis from the Horizon Broadcast Corporation and WRKSinNew York City from the Summit Communications Group. Emmis became a public company in the mid-1990's. The expansion continue to grow as the company purchsaed numerous television and radio stations in the late 1990's. Emmis Broadcasting changed its name to Emmis Communications in 1998. Emmis also co-owns a nationaly syndicated morning news show called The Daily Buzz.
Emmis has one of the most notorious stations in the United States. WQHT-FM, once a prestigious Dance music station, is now flourished with polluted hip hop music and shootouts in front of their offices. In addition the station is also known for playing the infamous Tsunami song (deemed offensive by manyAsian Americans and other nationalities) which was a parody sung in the 1985 tune "We Are The World." In a public response Mr. Smulyan indicated that the station will not change formats.
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