ACME Communications was co-founded by chairman and original CEO
Jamie Kellner, who previously served as a
Fox Broadcasting Company executive and was founding CEO of
The WB Television Network. Kellner used the name ACME as a play on the fictional
Acme Corporation featured in
Warner Bros'
Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner animated film series and other
Looney Tunes media. In 2000, ACME Communications and
Paramount Stations Group entered into a joint partnership. ACME stations would air three hours of
UPN programming in three markets (
St. Louis,
Knoxville, and
Champaign, Illinois) where UPN had no affiliate; WB programs would remain as on a secondary basis on Paramount stations in
Columbus, Ohio, and
Providence, Rhode Island that were switching to UPN, and were added to the UPN station in
West Palm Beach. The ownership portfolio of ACME Communications included television stations generally located in medium-sized U.S. media markets, all of which ACME obtained through acquisitions. All but one of ACME's stations were affiliated with The WB or converted to WB affiliation at purchase, likely playing on Kellner's previous relationship with that network. The ACME WB stations were among the first to line up affiliations with
The CW Television Network when The WB and UPN amalgamated in
2006. ACME's station portfolio reached a peak of 11 stations in the early 2000s, at which time ACME also ventured into program production with the 2002 launch of
The Daily Buzz, a syndicated daily morning news and information program that reached 180 markets at one point. During the early 2010s, ACME set forth on cost-cutting efforts involving its assets and an admitted "exit strategy" from the television business, including the following: • A licensing and consulting agreement with
Fisher Communications for
The Daily Buzz, announced in April 2010, that would see Fisher handle production of
Buzz. • A June 2010 agreement with
LIN TV Corporation (with intent to purchase) involving stations in two markets where the companies had common ownership (
Dayton, and
Green Bay-Fox Cities), where the LIN stations would provide operational, administrative, and
joint sales services for the ACME stations. At the same time, LIN TV also entered into an agreement to provide some services (including third-party accounting) for ACME's duopoly in
Albuquerque. • A reduction and restructuring of its corporate staff, set forth in July 2010, that would see Jamie Kellner remain as company chairman but Doug taking over Keller's titles of President and CEO. Stan Gill, Vice President and General Manager of ACME's KWBQ-KASY duopoly in Albuquerque-Santa Fe, became COO while WBDT, Dayton, Ohio, Vice President and General Manager John Hannon was elevated to ACME's Executive Vice President. • The sales of its last remaining stations: single stations in
Dayton,
Green Bay,
Knoxville (all 3 in sales consummated in Spring 2011), and
Madison (a February 2012 sale); as well as an
Albuquerque/
Santa Fe duopoly (September 2012). • The sale of
The Daily Buzz to Mojo Brands Media in April 2013,
The Daily Buzz itself was abruptly canceled April 17, 2015, when a Mojo Brands investor pulled their funding for the series. == Programming ==