KYND is sold...finally

[Mediafrog+]

KYND 1520 sold to El Sembrador Ministries for $725K. Transmitter site will initially be leased until note paid off. Second item here:

Station Sales Week Of 1/22: Family Life Expands In Pennsylvania - RadioInsight

Family Life Ministries is expanding its holdings in Pennsylvania with the purchase of two stations and one translator from Family Stations for $725,000. Family Life, which operates a network of Christian stations across northern Pennsylvania and upstate New York, will acquire 88.9 WFRJ...

radioinsight.com

Spanish language religion on the way, as predicted elsewhere.

 

[b-turner]

I'm glad to hear KYND has been sold. The price tag isn't bad either. The station has a good transmission facility and decent property for the towers and likely if the pattern was reworked, a couple of more towers could fit on the parcel. KYND's signal, when maintained and maximized, is quite good and stable. The ministry got a good deal and my former bosses can now breathe a sigh of relief once approved by the FCC.

 

[Mrtejano]

Still not on air though, and $1 a year? Is that a typo?

 

[davideduardo]

Still not on air though, and $1 a year? Is that a typo?

Not a typo. They are not transferring the land until the purchase price is paid. In the meantime, they rent it for a nominal amount. The purpose of that is likely to hold the land as security for the total payments for the station. Remember, one of the owners is an attorney.

 

[Mediafrog+]

El Sembrador Ministries is based in California, and programming is Spanish language Catholic religious. List of their stations from their website: ESNE :: Eventos (elsembradorministries.com)

Always had been curious why EWTN never had a Houston affiliate for their Spanish language programming (EWTN English is on KSHJ 1430.) Guess that niche is filled now by El Sembrador.

 

[b-turner]

KYND's owners are the son and daughter of Matt Provenzano, the original owner. I recall one of their children studying law (I want to say the daughter of the son), so likely they stayed in the family for an attorney. The land is pretty valuable. I think it was in the $500,000 range. Not bad for being 10-15 miles away from the nearest outlier suburb and not close to a town. They're getting a nice facility.

 

[b-turner]

By the way, when I contacted EWTN about leasing KYND, they told me they'd appreciate us donating the airtime to them but they weren't going to pay anything.

No other Catholic radio network I contacted was in a position to lease a major market station anywhere. They were willing to negotiate a rate that increased based on how well they did but the thinking was it might take a few years before the station could cover their monthly expenses. Some people don't get that. Imagine your rent is $2,000 a month but somebody will pay $200 a month to take over your lease and as they succeed they will pay more. If you're lucky, about year 3 to 5, they can pay $2,000 a month. And they aren't going to pay you the money you lost before they reached $2,000. You'd never go for that deal. Quite frankly, not being financially prepared to lease the station, that is the best they could do. It really wasn't an insult but rather an explanation of where they were financially.

 

[davideduardo]

Still not on air though, and $1 a year? Is that a typo?

No. The property deed is being withheld until the full price is paid, then it will go to the new owner.

 

[Conductivity]

I heard new programming this week, looks like they are finally broadcasting again and giving some life to the station.

 

[AnyHuman]

Is it Spanish Christian programming? I read it was sold to a Spanish Christian group.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I heard new programming this week, looks like they are finally broadcasting again and giving some life to the station.

All I've heard lately when checking 1520 is either the station is off the air, running dead air, or playing a loop of Country songs. Don't think the sale has closed yet.

 

[Conductivity]

All I've heard lately when checking 1520 is either the station is off the air, running dead air, or playing a loop of Country songs. Don't think the sale has closed yet.

I’m hearing like hyms or prayers kind of what you would hear at a Catholic service in this morning’s drive.

 

[Mediafrog+]

KYND is running a mix of Classical, Gregorian Chant, Choral, and some soft instrumentals, all of which could be considered religious or quasi-religious. However I checked the El Sembrador webstream and it was talk programming. I suspect that El Sembrador has taken over operation of KYND but has yet to establish the network connection.

Audio sounds robust; it would appear they have solved the low audio issues that plagued the station in the past.

 

[AnyHuman]

English music or Spanish music? Curious.

 

[Mediafrog+]

English music or Spanish music? Curious.

Programming will be in Spanish once the network feed is established.

 

[Mediafrog+]

Bumping this thread as I have been hearing nothing but dead air at some checks of 1520 over the past week or so. Hope El Sembrador doesn’t think that programming is actually being transmitted as KYND is likely remotely operated and automated, though they might want to stop wasting money on the electric bill for no reason. Not sure if El Sembrador has ever actually launched its network feed on the station…?

 

[Mediafrog+]

Yesterday KYND was back to running its music loop, but is completely off the air today. I don't think the El Sembrador network has ever hit the air on the station. KYND is not listed among the network stations on the El Sembrador website, though the sale apparently closed earlier this year.

 

[b-turner]

That makes sense. KYND would not be listed as part of the network until their programming is on the station. You sure don't want to promote the station and not have the programming in place.