He founded the manufacturing company Sarkes Tarzian Enterprises in 1944, and was involved in early experiments in VHF audio broadcasting in 1946.
Because standard AM radios could not tune to his station's high frequency, Tarzian modified a small number of sets himself and distributed them throughout the community.
[11] It was not until February 1957 that the commission designated the applications against each other for hearing,[12] and it took another 18 months for a hearing examiner to give the initial nod for the channel to Tarzian, citing its superior programming plans and broadcast experience as a factor that outweighed the local ownership represented by Brown.
In 1957, Sarkes Tarzian founded WPTA, serving Fort Wayne, Indiana, taking an affiliation with ABC; in 1973, the station was sold to Combined Communications for $3.6 million.
In 1959, Sarkes Tarzian purchased dark WFAM-TV, channel 59, in Lafayette, Indiana from its owner, Henry Rosenthal.
In 1980, Sarkes Tarzian bought television station KTVN in Reno, Nevada from Washoe Empire for $12.5 million.
[15] In 1982, Sarkes Tarzian bought television station WRCB in Chattanooga, Tennessee from Ziff Davis.
[16] The manufacturing operations were spun off in the 1970s and today the company still exists as a broadcaster, owning several television and radio stations.