News Sentinel
During a 20-minute break between Sunday school and church, a young Lewis Cosby would often visit the Johnson City television station next door.
"I would walk through the building and the guys running the station would let me explore and learn," Cosby said. "It was fascinating to me. I decided then that I'd love to do this."
Forty years later, the 54-year-old certified public accountant is preparing to launch his third -- and possibly his last -- television station in the Knoxville market.
WMAK, Channel 7, is expected to go on air any day as an all- digital, high-definition television station airing reruns of shows such as "Fear Factor," "Little House on the Prairie" and "People's Court."
The area's 11th station, WMAK will be an independent, full-power station available on Comcast and Charter cable systems.
Cosby and Indiana-based South Central Communications are owners of the station.
Cosby, who retains 30 percent ownership, also launched the former WKXT, an early CBS affiliate in Knoxville that is now WVLT, and WBXX, a WB affiliate. South Central, owned by the John D. Engelbrechtfamily, operates five radio stations in Knoxville.
The effort to get federal approval for Channel 7 began eight years ago, and the two admit they've been lucky.
"We've been so close to losing it so many times. We were just able to keep it alive, keep it alive," Engelbrecht said. "Nobody's getting to do this anymore. This is the end game."
In Knoxville's television market -- the 61st largest in the nation -- Cosby and Engelbrecht say they expect the station to compete with the area's three major networks, WB and Fox for local and national advertising dollars.
The WMAK station, located at 6215 Kingston Pike, was formerly a church. It has been renovated and equipped with the latest digital technology, which Cosby says puts them ahead of the game.
The Federal Communications Commission is requiring all television stations to switch from traditional analog broadcast transmissions to digital broadcasts.
A looming deadline means existing television stations are having to run digital broadcasts simultaneous with the analog transmissions and grapple with huge capital costs and doubling utility bills.
"This is a big deal," Cosby said. "We caught the wave of digital television."
Reflecting on his career, Cosby said he has no regrets. But at 54, he said he's about done.
"It would have been easier if I had gone straight into broadcasting, but I don't know if I would have had the opportunity of ownership if I went that route," Cosby said. "I did it the hard way."
While studying business and taking a few broadcasting classes at the University of Tennessee, Cosby worked as a news stringer for the television station in Johnson City covering campus news.
With a 16-millimeter motion picture camera Cosby bought used, he would shoot the film and write the story. Afterward, he would take the film to the bus station and his stories would air on the 6 and 11 p.m. news.
He was paid by the story. It wasn't much, but it was "gas money and learning the business."
After graduating from UT, Cosby worked as a CPA for what was then Coopers & Lybrand in Atlanta for five years He came back to Knoxville in 1975 to open an office here.
After four years, Cosby decided to put everything on the line to pursue his dream.
"I knew the only chance I would have to get into broadcasting would be to apply for a license and get my own station," Cosby said.
"In America, anybody can pursue their dream. You've got to want it. You've got to think about it all the time. You can't listen to someone say you can't do it."
Business writer Carly Harrington can be reached at 865-342-6317.
WMAK CHANNEL 7
* Owners: Lewis Cosby and South Central Communications
* Employees: 20-30
* Location: 6215 Kingston Pike
* Programs: "Gomer Pyle," "Little House on the Prairie," "Matlock," "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Judge Mathis," "People's Court," "Fear Factor." A movie will air in from 8-10 p.m. every night.
ON THE WEB
* Hear FCC Chairman Michael Powell's comments on the significance of digital broadcasting, made during a visit to Knoxville last month at KnoxNews.com.