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Access 1

C

Chuck

Today, Inside Radio reports:

"Access.1 restructures, will sell two FMs.
As part of an out-of-court agreement with its debt holders, Access1.Communications is restructuring and the lenders are taking a majority stake in the company. The deal will require Access.1 to immediately spin-off two FMs in the Shreveport, LA and Tyler-Longview, TX market to bring over-sized clusters into compliance with current ownership limits...."

I wonder which ones?
 
The two "Invasoras" they own are the ones being put into trust. So, logic says those will be the stations that get spun off. I suppose it doesn't always happen that way, but, if I were a gambler, I'd put my money on KSYR 92.1 in Shreveport and KCUL-FM 92.3 in the Tyler/Longview market.
 
Kent said:
The two "Invasoras" they own are the ones being put into trust. So, logic says those will be the stations that get spun off. I suppose it doesn't always happen that way, but, if I were a gambler, I'd put my money on KSYR 92.1 in Shreveport and KCUL-FM 92.3 in the Tyler/Longview market.
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I think you are right, but as far as I know, the city of Marshall is not actually in the Tyler-Longview market.
 
Since you just bought a station, you'd be in a better position to know than I would. However, I do know KCUL AM/FM were included in the market in 2007 when GAP (now Townsquare) bought the ex-Clear Channel stations.

If KCUL-FM isn't considered part of the market anymore, I don't think the new Access.1 would be required to spin anything, at least on FM, because you should be able to own at least 4 FM's in the market. If that's the case, they might have put KCUL-FM in the trust because it shared operations with KSYR in Shreveport that they felt they couldn't split for the time being because trusts can be a dicey situation. If you've ever had the misfortune to work for a station put in trust, you know how miserable it is!
 
KCUL-FM and KSYR, are the 2 stations that are being let go. KCUL-FM still puts in a partial signal into Longview so it is considered to be a part of the Longview/Tyler market.

But if Access.1 does like CC, Cumulus, and CBS they will put the stations into the trust and they will sit there for the next 10-20 years and lease them back to themselves. There is not much of a market to buy KCUL-FM at this point with its limited signal.

But from the article it sounds like the banks more than the FCC is forcing this sale.
 
600kogo said:
There is not much of a market to buy KCUL-FM at this point with its limited signal.
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Call me crazy, but I'd buy it and return it to its former glory.

No, the coverage area may not be great, but I believe there could still be some life in it if in the hands of the right (local) owners. Folks like Jerry Hanszen and Chuck Conrad have proven small-town FMs can be viable if not successful.
 
With small FMs like that there is no glory to be had these days. Hanzsen probably isnt doing as well as he used to.
 
Nobody that I know of is getting rich running small stations, be they AM or FM. With work, you can have income that surpasses your expenses but that isn't as easy as it sounds. It can be a good business, but the returns (if any) are long term, not short term. I don't know about KSYR, but KCUL would be a difficult situation, no matter what the cost.
 
Chuck said:
Nobody that I know of is getting rich running small stations, be they AM or FM. With work, you can have income that surpasses your expenses but that isn't as easy as it sounds. It can be a good business, but the returns (if any) are long term, not short term. I don't know about KSYR, but KCUL would be a difficult situation, no matter what the cost.
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I know I'd never get rich...especially overnight. However, I'd be happy to have a small signal that turned a profit and served the community like it should.

KCUL, sadly, would be an uphill proposition considering the shape of the studios (at least from the outside) I saw the last time I passed by there. :(
 
C414B said:
KCUL, sadly, would be an uphill proposition considering the shape of the studios (at least from the outside) I saw the last time I passed by there. :(
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If you could put a nice motel or perhaps a Cracker Barrel in it's location, you might make some money.
 
Chuck said:
Interesting question Billy, but what would you do with them?
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I dont know, didn't you tell me someone else was trying to buy them? I'd just like to see those stations saved.
They might wind up being toss-in's with KCUL-FM and KSYR. KFRO-AM has been off the air for a few days now.
 
I don't have any idea what is going on at Access 1 these days. Just about all the juicy rumors are usually found here or on Facebook's "East Texas Broadcast Legends." In any case, I do hope that somebody saves those stations from extinction, but I know for sure they are both major restoration projects.

I guess my big question is if you had those two AM stations, what kind of format would you put on them? Other than another Spanish language station, I don't see enough population in any particular ethnic group to make a go of a foreign language station. Maybe a reprise of the original KZEY? Or maybe Classic Country and/or Bluegrass? Southern Gospel? Music is tough on an AM, but some niche formats might work. Most anything that was recorded before 1970 was mixed to sound good on AM radio.
 
For a period of time, AM1410 carried Southern Gospel off the bird. Not sure exactly how many listened, but I do remember taking a call or two from someone who was complaining about having a favorite song cut off in the middle due to fading the bird out and going to a simulcast stopset with the FM.

I think SG could be viable on KCUL-FM if it's done right. It's been on KWNS/Winnsboro for how many years now?
 
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