STATION SALES
Illinois – Shaw Media, a newspaper publisher based in suburban Chicago, is entering the radio industry with a deal to buy seven radio stations and one FM translator signal from Studstill Media. The purchase price is $1.8 million with an additional payment $75,000 if certain revenue targets are reached during the first quarter of 2023. Included in the deal are country WALS Oglesby, IL (102.1); CHR “Q103.3” WIVQ Spring Valley, IL, and its simulcast partner WSTQ (97.7) Streator, IL; adult standards WSPL Streator, IL (1250) and its corresponding translator, the Streator, IL-licensed W253BX at 98.5; classic hits WYYS Streator, IL (106.1); classic country WGLC Mendota, IL (100.1), and rock WBZG Peru, IL (100.9). The stations will be operated under the Shaw Local Radio Co. name. Broker: Bob Heymann, Media Services Group
San Jose – Punjabi American Media has struck a $2.85 million deal to buy KLOK (1170) from Intelli. KLOK has been broadcasting as “Mirchi 1170” since July 2021, airing Hindi music and Bollywood content. Punjabi American Media will operate the station under a time brokerage agreement until closing. It currently does not own any stations in the San Jose market but it owns seven other California stations, including KIID Sacramento (1470), KOBO Yuba City (1450), KWRU Fresno (1300), KLHC Bakersfield (1350), KCVR Stockton (1570) and KVIN Modesto (920). Once the sale closes, Intelli will still own ethnic KAZA (1290) in the San Jose market, as well as stations in suburban Los Angeles, Dallas, and Portland, OR.
Atlanta -- John and Anita Fredericks’ Disruptor Radio has filed a $500,000 deal to buy talk “Freedom 1690” WMLB from Delmarva Educational Association. Disruptor Radio has operated the station under a time brokerage agreement since 2021. The filing says TBA fees and other expenses will be subtracted from the purchase price, making the amount due at closing $305,000. Broker: Jorgenson Broadcast Brokerage
Cleveland – Dale Edwards’ D&E Media has filed a $500,000 deal to buy the currently-silent WCCD (1000) from New Spirit Revival Center Ministries. D&E Media already owns “Talk 1460” WABQ and two FM translators in the market. The deal includes a promissory note for the full amount.
Dallas-Ft. Worth – Richard Witkovski’s North Texas Radio Group has filed a $250,000 deal to buy regional Mexican KZMP (1540) from Estrella Media. North Texas Radio Group currently owns seven stations, but KZMP will become its first in the Dallas-Ft. Worth market. Once the sale closes, Estrella Media will still own Spanish AC “Luna 98.3” KBOC, regional Mexican “Luna 98.3” KNOR, and regional Mexican “La Ranchera 106.7” KZZA in the market, as well as four radio stations in Houston.
Massachusetts & New York – Holy Family Communications has struck a pair of deals totaling $150,000 with the Mt. St. Francis Hermitage. In the first deal, it has filed a $75,000 deal to buy religious WRRS, Middleborough Center, MA (88.5) and WPMW, Bayview, MA (88.5) from the Hermitage. In a second deal in the Binghamton, NY market, Holy Family Communications has filed a $75,000 deal to buy religious WHVM (91.9) from the Hermitage. Holy Family already owns 10 stations, but WHVM becomes its first in the Binghamton market. In Massachusetts, Holy Family already owns religious WQOM, Natick, MA (1060) and WACE, Chicopee, MA (730).
Louisville – Dawn Fowler files a $50,000 deal to buy a 50% stake in classic country “Capitol Country 1550” WOCC from Timothy Jackson’s Two Hawks Communications. Timothy Jackson would retain the other 50% ownership interest in the station.
TRANSLATOR SALES
Columbus, OH -- The Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism has filed to donate the Marble Cliff, OH-licensed translator W252AY at 98.3 FM to The Neighborhood Network. The translator will be used to simulcast the low-power station WCRS-LP (92.7).
CLOSINGS
Rochester, NY – The WXXI Public Broadcasting Council has closed a $1.2 million deal to buy the currently-silent WJZR (105.9) from R.B. Lee Rust’s North Coast Radio. The deal includes a $655,000 cash payment with the remaining $525,000 considered a donation from Rust to the public broadcaster. The former jazz outlet WJZR will convert to non-commercial operation when it returns to the air from a new transmitter site and simulcast news-talk WXXI (1370). The public broadcaster also owns “Classical 91.5” WXXI-FM and PBS affiliate WXXI-TV in the market and operates adult alternative “Different Radio 88.5” WRUR under a programing agreement with the University of Rochester. Broker: Fybush Media
Appleton-Oshkosh & Green Bay, WI – Sage Weil and Michael Crute’s Civic Media has closed a $937,000 deal to buy stations in two markets from Mark Heller. In the Appleton-Oshkosh market, Civic Media buys “True Oldies 1520” WLAK (1520) and the New Holstein, WI-licensed translator W230DA at 93.9 FM. And in the Green Bay, WI market, Civic Media closes a deal to buy “True Oldies 1590” WGBW and the Green Bay, WI-licensed translator W250CV at 97.9 FM. While Civic Media has a number of pending deals in Wisconsin, WLAK will be its only station in the Appleton-Oshkosh market (No. 139) where it has applied to change the call letters of WLAK to WVXN and to relocate W230DA closer to Appleton with a move to 96.5 FM. It is a similar situation in Green Bay (market No. 186) where it WGBW will become its first station. Civic Media flipped WGBW to a talk format last week.
Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY – Bill Yuhnke’s Kenmore Broadcasting has closed a $375,000 deal to buy talk WLVL (1340) from Richard Greene’s Culver Communications. The deal also includes the Lockport, NY-licensed translator W287CV at 105.3 FM. Kenmore Broadcasting already owns adult standards WEBR (1440) in the market.
Corpus Christi, TX -- Gregory Herrman’s Dynamic Media has closed a $200,000 deal to buy “Sports Radio 1230” KSIX from SportsradioCC. Sportsradio CC still owns Spanish sports KLDS (1260). It is a partnership among Bill Doerner (51%), Valerie Smith (34%) and Larry Roberts (15%).
Massachusetts – Frank Baptista has closed a $200,000 deal to buy ethnic WHTB, Fall River, MA (1400) from James Karam’s SNE Broadcasting. The deal also includes the Fall River, MA-licensed translator W229DC at 93.7 FM. Under the terms of the deal, Baptista agrees to continue operating WHTB in a language other than English for at least three years or unless SNE Broadcasting sells crosstown talk WSAR (1480).
Florida – Floyd Media Radio has closed a $150,000 deal to buy the currently-silent WQBQ, Leesburg, FL (1410) form Rama Communications. The deal includes the Leesburg, FL-licensed translator W236DN at 95.1 FM.