1340 WALH Mountain City

[TerryKay]

I passed through late last week on my way home to FL and noticed they are silent, and the studios are boarded up. FCC dB shows silent since March. Anyone know what happened? I suppose revenue is not an easy reach in ultra rural Rabun County though apparently they own two other active stations.

 

[Bengalsfan]

I wish you guys would do a simple search on the FCC's website for answers like these. The following is from an application filed March 23rd of this year for a silent STA:

STATION WALH(AM) IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SOLD. AN APPLICATION FOR ASSIGNMENT OF THE WALH(AM) LICENSE WAS FILED ON MARCH 4, 2009 AND REMAINS PENDING. SEE FILE NO. BAL-20090304ABP (ACCEPTED FOR FILING MARCH 6, 2009). DUE TO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS PENDING SALE OF THE STATION, LICENSEE HAS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED OPERATION OF THE STATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN LICENSEE AND BUYER. BECAUSE THE PERIOD OF NON-OPERATION LIKELY WILL EXTEND BEYOND THE 30 DAY PERIOD PERMITTED UNDER THE COMMISSION'S RULES, A SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO REMAIN SILENT IS HEREBY REQUESTED.

IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE BUYER WILL RETURN THE STATION TO OPERATIONAL STATUS ON OR SHORTLY AFTER THE CLOSING DATE, ASSUMING FAVORABLE DISPOSITION OF THE PENDING ASSIGNMENT APPLICATION.

 

[TerryKay]

Which does not answer my original question, the reason for selling.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Which does not answer my original question, the reason for selling.

If an owner is not taking in enough revenue to pay the help, pay the light bill, and pay the maintenance and repair, is that not an acceptable reason for selling.

I went to look at the station after long time owner "Apple" Savage died. My fear, which I had mentally prepared for just in case, came true. His widow was sitting there running the board. I went to ask if the station was for sale then. I had hoped someone else could field the question. When I left the building I was alright with the meeting. I think it was a form of therapy for her.

I looked at the station. I looked at the town. I looked at the competition. Out of my little mental computer came the answer: "NO WAY, JOSE!" I suspect now the current owner wishes his internal computer had said the same thing to him.

 

[Bengalsfan]

I looked at the station. I looked at the town. I looked at the competition. Out of my little mental computer came the answer: "NO WAY, JOSE!" I suspect now the current owner wishes his internal computer had said the same thing to him.

I think too many people's internal was either rebooting or defragging the hard drive when it came time to put those numbers together. For example, I saw a few years ago someone purchased the AM in Vienna for $350,000! There is no freaking way to make the kind of money you'll need to service that debt along with paying the regular bills. $50,000 is more like it.

 

[JohnAllan]

I looked at the station. I looked at the town. I looked at the competition. Out of my little mental computer came the answer: "NO WAY, JOSE!" I suspect now the current owner wishes his internal computer had said the same thing to him.

I think too many people's internal was either rebooting or defragging the hard drive when it came time to put those numbers together. For example, I saw a few years ago someone purchased the AM in Vienna for $350,000! There is no freaking way to make the kind of money you'll need to service that debt along with paying the regular bills. $50,000 is more like it.

If it is the AM that I'm thinking of (for 350,000), the owners moved it to Atlanta and sold it for $12 Million dollars. Not a bad profit.

 

[Bengalsfan]

I looked at the station. I looked at the town. I looked at the competition. Out of my little mental computer came the answer: "NO WAY, JOSE!" I suspect now the current owner wishes his internal computer had said the same thing to him.

I think too many people's internal was either rebooting or defragging the hard drive when it came time to put those numbers together. For example, I saw a few years ago someone purchased the AM in Vienna for $350,000! There is no freaking way to make the kind of money you'll need to service that debt along with paying the regular bills. $50,000 is more like it.

If it is the AM that I'm thinking of (for 350,000), the owners moved it to Atlanta and sold it for $12 Million dollars. Not a bad profit.

It's not the AM you are thinking of.

 

[JohnAllan]

I looked at the station. I looked at the town. I looked at the competition. Out of my little mental computer came the answer: "NO WAY, JOSE!" I suspect now the current owner wishes his internal computer had said the same thing to him.

I think too many people's internal was either rebooting or defragging the hard drive when it came time to put those numbers together. For example, I saw a few years ago someone purchased the AM in Vienna for $350,000! There is no freaking way to make the kind of money you'll need to service that debt along with paying the regular bills. $50,000 is more like it.

If it is the AM that I'm thinking of (for 350,000), the owners moved it to Atlanta and sold it for $12 Million dollars. Not a bad profit.

It's not the AM you are thinking of.

My bad.

 

[Art Sutton]

I wish you guys would do a simple search on the FCC's website for answers like these. The following is from an application filed March 23rd of this year for a silent STA:

STATION WALH(AM) IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SOLD. AN APPLICATION FOR ASSIGNMENT OF THE WALH(AM) LICENSE WAS FILED ON MARCH 4, 2009 AND REMAINS PENDING. SEE FILE NO. BAL-20090304ABP (ACCEPTED FOR FILING MARCH 6, 2009). DUE TO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS PENDING SALE OF THE STATION, LICENSEE HAS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED OPERATION OF THE STATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN LICENSEE AND BUYER. BECAUSE THE PERIOD OF NON-OPERATION LIKELY WILL EXTEND BEYOND THE 30 DAY PERIOD PERMITTED UNDER THE COMMISSION'S RULES, A SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO REMAIN SILENT IS HEREBY REQUESTED.

Our company purchased WALH earlier this year. It was taken dark by the former owner. We paid $70,000 cash for the station, its five acres of property and 325 ft tower. The property was worth this amount or more. The other stations we own in the market, WGHC(AM-1400) and WRBN(Sky 104.1 FM) are presently operated in leased studios/offices and the WGHC tower site. This lease expires in 2011 and our plans are to build a new radio facility at the WALH site. Future plans for WALH are not finalized. Following founder Apple Savage's death, the station lost most of its advertising revenue and did not prove to be a profitable venture for the company we purchased the station.

IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THE BUYER WILL RETURN THE STATION TO OPERATIONAL STATUS ON OR SHORTLY AFTER THE CLOSING DATE, ASSUMING FAVORABLE DISPOSITION OF THE PENDING ASSIGNMENT APPLICATION.

 

[jefflaurence]

Wow..quite some time ago we looked at buying that station as well after Apple passed..and came to an agreeement, but it did not include the real estate. Purchase price was in the LOW six-figures..however at the time we had a consulting engineer out and he noticed that the insulator at the base of the tower was sort of..well..cracked, and that one side of the tower was slightly leaning. They must have fixed this eventually. Hey Art is the 1400khz signal using the 1340 tower? Drove by there today and it seemed really strong ..so I assumed GaCa had moved the WGHC site to WALH's tower..but maybe not.

Glad to hear you'll be building out. What can be done with 1340? Sure miss gospel and hillbilly music 1340 has/had a great signal

If you need any help with that I'd love to come down a piece and he'p y'all!

Jeff

 

[RadioBarron]

I'm in Atlanta and have a home in Highlands, NC...I know the area well where WAHL is...I cannot see that station in this market today being able to come up with enough advertising dollars to make a go of it.

 

[jefflaurence]

Really there were too many AMs in Rabun County anyway. The 1340 is apparently gone (probably for good) Mr Sutton's 1400 is now on, and 1370's license went to North of Charlotte in a "minor change" so now there is a thriving 1400 in Rabun County all by itself..It would be neat to take that 1340 and put it back on, but you guiys are probably right..just not enough money available to keep it running.

Oh well

 

[artsutton]

Really there were too many AMs in Rabun County anyway. The 1340 is apparently gone (probably for good) Mr Sutton's 1400 is now on, and 1370's license went to North of Charlotte in a "minor change" so now there is a thriving 1400 in Rabun County all by itself..It would be neat to take that 1340 and put it back on, but you guiys are probably right..just not enough money available to keep it running.

Oh well

We will be returning WALH to the air very soon. Initially it will repeat our 1400 WGHC in Clayton which will provide us nighttime coverage in the Mountain City, Dillard and Sky Valley areas. Later on we hope to be able to do some separate programming on WALH for special events such as sports coverage, church services, etc. Long term, it is possible we will consolidate all our Rabun County radio operations in a new building at the WALH site.

 

[jefflaurence]

I heard WALH back on yesterday simulcasting Sky 104. Really good signal into Franklin..and excellent audio. The 1400 signal..not so good..and only a few miles further South.