-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
94.7 Updates
- Thread starter XCountry285
- Start date
thataveragejoe said:
The vast majority of the time, when an LMA is to happen, it's part of the sale. CBS' LMA of 101.9 was in the sale docs. Cumulus didn't include an LMA for WFME, and has historically not done LMAs on purchases.
There's nothing more to it. Cumulus doesn't own the radio station. When that changes, it won't take long to find out what they're doing with it.
ansky212 said:
Makes sense, but that's probably a bit presumptuous on their part. No one can or should guess the speed at which the FCC moves. ;D
ansky212 said:
Generally, sales are closed on at the end of a month in broadcasting.
While this norm is less applicable to the sale of a previously non-commercial station which has no receivables to allocate, there are still issues like division of costs like rent, utilities, insurance, etc. which are much simpler to account for if the end of the month is picked as the closing date.
You don't have to close on the same date the FCC approves the transfer, although that sometimes happens.
There's another thing to consider here too, if you're sitting on the outside impatiently waiting for "something" to happen.
When CBS bought 101.9, it had a studio, staff and format already in place and ready to roll. When CC bought WOR, it inherited not only the WOR staff and programming it wanted but also had its own cadre of engineers and programmers on hand.
94.7 is another story. Assuming it will start its life under Cumulus with a new format (and all indications suggest that it will do so, and not just become WABC-FM), there's a lot of work Cumulus has to do behind the scenes to get programming, sales, engineering and promotions all in place.
A comparable situation is Merlin and 106.9 in Camden/Philadelphia. Not only did Merlin not LMA 106.9 from Family before closing, Family actually ended up LMA'ing 106.9 back from Merlin for several months after closing, while Merlin was busy building studios and lining up programming.
When CBS bought 101.9, it had a studio, staff and format already in place and ready to roll. When CC bought WOR, it inherited not only the WOR staff and programming it wanted but also had its own cadre of engineers and programmers on hand.
94.7 is another story. Assuming it will start its life under Cumulus with a new format (and all indications suggest that it will do so, and not just become WABC-FM), there's a lot of work Cumulus has to do behind the scenes to get programming, sales, engineering and promotions all in place.
A comparable situation is Merlin and 106.9 in Camden/Philadelphia. Not only did Merlin not LMA 106.9 from Family before closing, Family actually ended up LMA'ing 106.9 back from Merlin for several months after closing, while Merlin was busy building studios and lining up programming.
M
Marckd
Guest
ALso this LMAing prior to ownership changes have only happened in the past 20 years. With WPAT-FM when Park sold the WPAT FM to Spanish Broadcasting it only included the license and the transmitter. It excluded building, intelelctual unit, staff, equipment, etc. The station sal was announced in October and expected to close in March. But On January 15 it was announced the frequency would be rented to SBS prior to ownership change. So at Midnight January 20, WPAT FM signed off their AC format and 10 seconds later SBS signed on the smooth Spanish Music format from their Manhattan studios they newly built. Park kept the building and stuff in the building.
Park continued to run WPAT 930 AM as an AC station that was slightly softer initially and got even softer in the coming weeks. Then on March 26, 1996 WPAT 930 sold including the Building to Heftel. Both FM and AM stations closed officially on the same day to 2 seperate owners but the FM was taken over in an LMA prior to closing.
Most station sales today include an almost immediate LMA for the new owners to take over. This has become the norm in the past 20 or so years. But not always. In the case of Cumulus, they will not be able to do anything with the station till the closing happens. Just the terms of this sale. In Philadelphia when WKDN was sold to Merlin this time last year, Family Radio continued to lease the station several more months till Merlin had programming in place. My prediction will be sometime late in january for 94.7.
I also am not sure whether the Building will be included. Also unsure if Family Radio people (there are VERY few anyway) will go on and work for Cumulus. My guess is maybe - maybe not. Engineers and announcers are needed no matter what format 94.7 becomes. Plus one of the staff members at Family work for what was known as Shadow Traffic anyhow so they are qualified to work for Cumulus. Cumulus will need to actually add staff for 94.7 so no reason to not keep the skeleton crew from Family. Theoretically the could continue working for both Family and Cumulus as well - especially if they choose to house Family Radio's new station at the same place (not unusual for multiple companies to be in one building).
Just some thoughts - nothing carved in stone I KNOW OF
Park continued to run WPAT 930 AM as an AC station that was slightly softer initially and got even softer in the coming weeks. Then on March 26, 1996 WPAT 930 sold including the Building to Heftel. Both FM and AM stations closed officially on the same day to 2 seperate owners but the FM was taken over in an LMA prior to closing.
Most station sales today include an almost immediate LMA for the new owners to take over. This has become the norm in the past 20 or so years. But not always. In the case of Cumulus, they will not be able to do anything with the station till the closing happens. Just the terms of this sale. In Philadelphia when WKDN was sold to Merlin this time last year, Family Radio continued to lease the station several more months till Merlin had programming in place. My prediction will be sometime late in january for 94.7.
I also am not sure whether the Building will be included. Also unsure if Family Radio people (there are VERY few anyway) will go on and work for Cumulus. My guess is maybe - maybe not. Engineers and announcers are needed no matter what format 94.7 becomes. Plus one of the staff members at Family work for what was known as Shadow Traffic anyhow so they are qualified to work for Cumulus. Cumulus will need to actually add staff for 94.7 so no reason to not keep the skeleton crew from Family. Theoretically the could continue working for both Family and Cumulus as well - especially if they choose to house Family Radio's new station at the same place (not unusual for multiple companies to be in one building).
Just some thoughts - nothing carved in stone I KNOW OF
J
Jersey Maiden
Guest
Didn't Merlin move pretty fast when they bought RXP 1.0 from Emmis? They stunted for 2 weeks and did their first day of "news" before the sale even closed. It just seems very unusual for things to be this slow with 94.7. Maybe Emmis was just more desperate for cash than Family. It seems to me like Family Radio wants to hold on to this station for as long as possible (they're not a normal radio company after all).
M
Marckd
Guest
Family radio is not even a normal Christian or religious broadcaster either. They dug themselves in a hole and now are not much of anything. They have no direction and do not even seem to be trying to win listeners back. It seems that they are just preparing to fold when Camping dies.Jersey Maiden said:
Jersey Maiden said:
The Merlin/Emmis 101.9 deal included an LMA-before-closing. The Cumulus/Family 94.7 deal does not.
They are very different deals. Emmis is a minority shareholder in Merlin. Merlin assumed the existing studios of 101.9 and thus had someplace to start operations immediately. Emmis had no interest in continuing to put money into staffing its WRXP format or in preserving that format's audience. By contrast, the sale from Family to Cumulus is straight cash, with Family having no continuing interest in 94.7. Cumulus has to build new 94.7 studios and will not be using the existing WFME studios on First Mountain. And Family has a strong interest in continuing to operate its format on 94.7 for as long as possible, since it's hoping to move that programming and audience over to a yet-to-be-determined new AM home. As long as Family still has 94.7, it continues to take in listener contributions. Why give that up any earlier than it has to?
Scott Fybush said:
That may explain why Family Radio's request to the FCC to authorize WDVY to operate as a noncommercial station with programming supplied from studios in California, was only filed about 2 weeks ago.
The sale of WFME probably cannot close till the FCC approves this, as the transfer of WDVY from Cumulus to Family Radio is a part of the deal.
An FCC decision on this filing will probably take over a month from now.
Just noted from FCC page for WFME it says "Special Temporary Authority" what does this mean ?
http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=wfme
http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=wfme
Scott Fybush said:
Is there a 100% IRONCLAD GUARANTEE or YET-TO-BE REPORTED ANNOUNCEMENT that Family Stations already has secured or is in the process of securing an AM facility that will cover a comparable geographic area to that of the present 94.7FM?
Is there such an AM facility in this market that would offer replicated coverage that could both be A. acquired for cash and/or other assets? And, B. is absolutely available for sale at a substantially reduced rate from the $40 million realized from the sale of 94.7FM?
Why would Family Stations file to convert 106.3FM Mount Kisco to a non-commercial license if they do not intend to ultimately use that facility for their "religious" programming?
http://www.thedeal.com/content/tmt/cumulus-media-acquires-third-new-york-radio-outlet.php
Family Radio's broker has stated they're looking for an AM property in NY. It's assumed that an acquired AM signal would be used together with 106.3.
Family Radio's broker has stated they're looking for an AM property in NY. It's assumed that an acquired AM signal would be used together with 106.3.
B
Bob1370
Guest
"Is there such an AM facility in this market that would offer replicated coverage that could both be A. acquired for cash and/or other assets? And, B. is absolutely available for sale at a substantially reduced rate from the $40 million realized from the sale of 94.7FM?"
There are only a handful of AM stations in the market that would cost more than the $31 million that WOR fetched from Clear Channel. WFAN, WABC, WCBS and WINS are the stations that would certainly cost more. WBBR/1130 and WQEW/1560 could be close to $30 million because of signal coverage and stick value, but their owners have business reasons to keeo them off the market. Anything else would sell at a deep discount.
The most likely candidate might be WNYC-AM. The WNYC foundation no longer needs 820 because it has two signals (93.1 and 105.9) that get the job done. The signal is good enough to reach millions, and a couple extra towers added to the DA could allow higher power and a stronger signal into the coity, Long Island and southern Westchester. (Plus it would help Salem improve the WMCA signal at the same site, something that might get them to kick in some $$$.)
There are only a handful of AM stations in the market that would cost more than the $31 million that WOR fetched from Clear Channel. WFAN, WABC, WCBS and WINS are the stations that would certainly cost more. WBBR/1130 and WQEW/1560 could be close to $30 million because of signal coverage and stick value, but their owners have business reasons to keeo them off the market. Anything else would sell at a deep discount.
The most likely candidate might be WNYC-AM. The WNYC foundation no longer needs 820 because it has two signals (93.1 and 105.9) that get the job done. The signal is good enough to reach millions, and a couple extra towers added to the DA could allow higher power and a stronger signal into the coity, Long Island and southern Westchester. (Plus it would help Salem improve the WMCA signal at the same site, something that might get them to kick in some $$$.)
- Status