Ron Cohen is desperate to sell his two AM signals with associated FM translators, according to the listing on RadioTVDeals.com.
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Want to buy KFNN/KQFN? That will be cash only
- Thread starter EricStein
- Start date
The stations have been "drastically reduced," but Ron still wants a cash deal for two AMs and two underwhelming translators. The asking price is probably similar to that of a new build tract home near your Media Hut in Buckeye.
These broker announcements usually will mention if the stations are PROFITABLE as a selling point. No such mention for KFNN/KQFN.. not a good sign, yet, the ad says their formats are popular.. Hmmm.
Quite a few other AZ radio properties up for sale. Any guesses on those?
Quite a few other AZ radio properties up for sale. Any guesses on those?
K257CD 99.3 FM has pretty good coverage, and has some value. I can see someone grabbing that one up, with or without KQFN.
IIRC, that one's been around since the 1980s, when it was the Phoenix translator for then-classic rock KSTM 107.1 in AJ.
K257CD is commonly owned with KAJM and KZCE, but leased out to CRC Broadcasting for KQFN. That translator could either be taken in-house being fed by a hypothetical HD station of one of the co-owned full-powered FMs, or leased out to someone else. As Keith said, this was maybe the first FM translator in the Phoenix area, dating back 40 years.
It makes you wonder if in the case they can't find a buyer, if they will shut down soon. KQFN has the radio rights to March Madness, so they're not going to sign off this week or next.
As for the other radio properties for sale, I assume one of them is KGVY Green Valley. One listing sounds like a couple of the Ted Tucker stations, and another looks like a radio group in Northern Arizona (possibly Great Circle Media?) With chains shutting down AMs, selling standalone AM properties is going to be tough in this market.
Also home to one of the teams in the tournament in Grand Canyon University. I'd think if KQFN shuts down, maybe KMVP Arizona Sports 98.7/KTAR 620AM will pick up the March Madness rights as well as WW1 sports rights for the Phoenix market & become the go-to sports station which they already are.
I see KDUS picking up the WW1 sports rights, and 620 the AIA high school sports. GCU might go to anyone, even one of the Salem AMs (despite Salem being in selling mode too).
I don't want to speculate whether the CRC stations are going to shut down, but if Ron is in "Fire Sale" mode, there is a possibility it may happen. The way things are going, there might be five or less AM stations operating in the Phoenix Metro by 2029.
So one of the 4 radio properties is a lease takeover (99.3 FM), and the other 3 are for sale (KQFN/KFNN and it's 105.3 translator). There's mention of a third FM translator for lease or sale, I assume that's K274DA 102.7 Thousand Palms, CA, which is another CRC Fanatic sports station.
A re-entry chance for KASA Radio Hogar? 😯 I better not give them any ideas!
Don't give On-Air Sports Marketing any ideas either.
The third translator is K240EU 95.9 Tempe, with transmitter on KHOT-FM's tower in Fountain Hills. If that's not permanently paired with 1580, that could go to KNLB to match its White Tanks translator, which has been broadcasting silence for the past few months. Hash from KAIZ's HD signal wipes out KFNN's 105.3 translator in much of the West Valley.
Speaking of KAJM/KZCE, some of the moves they've made as of late make you wonder if Sierra Hotel is prepping for a sale. New studios in a fancy office building. Lean on-air staff for both stations. KAJM is more unfocused than it has been in years.
Actually, I think that third translator (assuming it's still on the air) is K240EU licensed to Fountain Hills at 95.9mHz which carries KQFN-AM.
One other callsign is mentioned, KAFZ-FM in the Williams area. While it does have a construction permit that would allow it coverage of at least parts of Flagstaff, one wonders whether that will be enough to make a buyer interested, especially if that buyer has to pay for the upgrade.
That translator has had its share of history as a KQFN repeater. It was originally on 99.5, but interference from both KIIM and KRPH made it tough to listen to. Then they moved to 99.3 to be co-channel with K257CD, but that caused interference with that translator. They settled for 95.9, which has been better, but still gets drowned out by the KNLB...er...KYOT-HD3 translator on the White Tanks in certain areas of the East Valley.
The best thing they have going for them is no debt service. Those things have been paid off for almost 2 decades at this point, so as they as they run it lean the remaining owners can make a few bucks. They wouldn't fetch anything close to what they would have even 10 years ago, so unless Ken gets desperate for cash, he's going to keep that income flow rolling.
Completely agree with how unfocused Mega is these days. Rick Thomas had been involved briefly after John Candeleria left a couple years ago but it seems whoever is programming it now is local and just going off of their gut and nothing more. They should be a clone of Magic 92.5 in San Diego but they're still stuck in the Jammin Oldies boom of the late 90s.
If Sierra H want a steady cash flow, would they have invested in new upgraded digs (unless they were forced to)? They also changed their national sales apparatus and added static RDS to the stations. The on-air staff still remains thin on both stations. I know of a couple groups not named K-Love that may be interested, especially if the FCC loosens ownership rules.
Also, it looks like Ken is willing to sell the 99.3 translator if the CRC stations are sold. That listing said "option to assume lease/purchase." The likelihood of those stations being sold seems low at this time.