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Changes at 790 The Zone
- Thread starter llewow
- Start date
llewow said:
He meant "Young Guns", they've picked three guys from an open audition since July.
Star 94 parent Lincoln Financial Media will buy Big League Broadcasting
Read more: 790 The Zone sold to Lincoln Financial - Atlanta Business Chronicle
Read more: 790 The Zone sold to Lincoln Financial - Atlanta Business Chronicle
www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/08/30/daily6.html Just tried to pull this up but the link appears to be broken now....
This was what had been up.
Star 94 parent Lincoln Financial Media will buy Big League Broadcasting, which runs sports station 790 The Zone (WQXI-AM).
Financial terms were not disclosed.
[EDIT]
[EDIT-post truncated as excerpt exceeds amount permitted under Fair Use.]
This was what had been up.
Star 94 parent Lincoln Financial Media will buy Big League Broadcasting, which runs sports station 790 The Zone (WQXI-AM).
Financial terms were not disclosed.
[EDIT]
[EDIT-post truncated as excerpt exceeds amount permitted under Fair Use.]
new link for the article http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/08/30/daily7.html
Here's the press release in full:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 30, 2010
Contact: Rick Mack, Sr. VP/GM – LFM Radio/Atlanta
(404) 261-2970 / Email: [email protected]
LINCOLN FINANCIAL MEDIA PURCHASING
BIG LEAGUE BROADCASTING'S "790 THE ZONE"
Atlanta, GA – Lincoln Financial Media – owner of Atlanta radio station WSTR-FM (Star 94, 94.1 FM)
– announced today that it is purchasing the assets of Big League Broadcasting, the company that leased
LFM's WQXI-AM frequency as Sports Radio "790 The Zone."
Founded in 1997 by current Co-Presidents Andrew Saltzman and Stephen “Steak” Shapiro, 790 The
Zone has become an iconic brand in Atlanta sports radio and one of the country’s leading sports talk
outlets, with such successful shows as "Mayhem in the AM," which is simulcast on Comcast Sports
South, "Pollack & Bell," and "The 2 Live Stews.” The station is the home of Georgia Tech football and
men’s basketball, the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the sales arm of the Atlanta Falcons Radio Network, and the
provider of sports content to CBS Atlanta television.
With the acquisition, senior management of 790 the Zone will remain in place while WSTR-FM Vice
President/General Manager Rick Mack will be promoted to Sr. VP/GM and will oversee LFM's stations
in Atlanta.
"The addition of 790 The Zone strengthens our Atlanta operations, and Rick is the perfect person to lead
this new unified effort for us," said Don Benson, LFM President and CEO. "We’re big believers in
sports radio, with the success of our other properties in Denver and Miami. The Zone’s veteran
management team and roster of talented employees will give us an even stronger presence in the
format."
"We've had a 50-yard line seat watching the growth of 790 the Zone over the years," said Mack. "It's
certainly more than just a sports radio station - it's a strong marketing company that has become a
remarkable story. And it makes a perfect fit with our strength here in Atlanta."
Saltzman will become VP/GM of WQXI-AM and report to Mack. Neal Maziar has been named Station
Manager, and morning show personality Shapiro also will serve as Station Brand Manager.
“We have accomplished a great deal as entrepreneurial broadcasters, and this acquisition allows 790 The
Zone to compete at an even higher level,” said Saltzman. “I am pleased with the development of this
strategic partnership.”
"It has been an incredible experience building Big League Broadcasting and 790 The Zone from scratch,
and it's equally satisfying now to be part of one of the great radio companies in America," said Shapiro.
"Big League and LFM has always made a ton of sense, and I'm thrilled to see it come to fruition.”
Lincoln Financial Media Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life Insurance Company, owns and operates radio
stations in Atlanta, GA (WQXI-AM, WSTR-FM); Denver, CO (KEPN-AM, KKFN-FM, KQKS-FM, KRWZ-AM, KYGOFM);
Miami, FL (WAXY-AM, WLYF-FM, WMXJ-FM); and San Diego, CA (KBZT-FM, KIFM-FM, KSON-FM, KSOQFM).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 30, 2010
Contact: Rick Mack, Sr. VP/GM – LFM Radio/Atlanta
(404) 261-2970 / Email: [email protected]
LINCOLN FINANCIAL MEDIA PURCHASING
BIG LEAGUE BROADCASTING'S "790 THE ZONE"
Atlanta, GA – Lincoln Financial Media – owner of Atlanta radio station WSTR-FM (Star 94, 94.1 FM)
– announced today that it is purchasing the assets of Big League Broadcasting, the company that leased
LFM's WQXI-AM frequency as Sports Radio "790 The Zone."
Founded in 1997 by current Co-Presidents Andrew Saltzman and Stephen “Steak” Shapiro, 790 The
Zone has become an iconic brand in Atlanta sports radio and one of the country’s leading sports talk
outlets, with such successful shows as "Mayhem in the AM," which is simulcast on Comcast Sports
South, "Pollack & Bell," and "The 2 Live Stews.” The station is the home of Georgia Tech football and
men’s basketball, the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the sales arm of the Atlanta Falcons Radio Network, and the
provider of sports content to CBS Atlanta television.
With the acquisition, senior management of 790 the Zone will remain in place while WSTR-FM Vice
President/General Manager Rick Mack will be promoted to Sr. VP/GM and will oversee LFM's stations
in Atlanta.
"The addition of 790 The Zone strengthens our Atlanta operations, and Rick is the perfect person to lead
this new unified effort for us," said Don Benson, LFM President and CEO. "We’re big believers in
sports radio, with the success of our other properties in Denver and Miami. The Zone’s veteran
management team and roster of talented employees will give us an even stronger presence in the
format."
"We've had a 50-yard line seat watching the growth of 790 the Zone over the years," said Mack. "It's
certainly more than just a sports radio station - it's a strong marketing company that has become a
remarkable story. And it makes a perfect fit with our strength here in Atlanta."
Saltzman will become VP/GM of WQXI-AM and report to Mack. Neal Maziar has been named Station
Manager, and morning show personality Shapiro also will serve as Station Brand Manager.
“We have accomplished a great deal as entrepreneurial broadcasters, and this acquisition allows 790 The
Zone to compete at an even higher level,” said Saltzman. “I am pleased with the development of this
strategic partnership.”
"It has been an incredible experience building Big League Broadcasting and 790 The Zone from scratch,
and it's equally satisfying now to be part of one of the great radio companies in America," said Shapiro.
"Big League and LFM has always made a ton of sense, and I'm thrilled to see it come to fruition.”
Lincoln Financial Media Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Life Insurance Company, owns and operates radio
stations in Atlanta, GA (WQXI-AM, WSTR-FM); Denver, CO (KEPN-AM, KKFN-FM, KQKS-FM, KRWZ-AM, KYGOFM);
Miami, FL (WAXY-AM, WLYF-FM, WMXJ-FM); and San Diego, CA (KBZT-FM, KIFM-FM, KSON-FM, KSOQFM).
Three Questions:
Do LMA’s have to do the “change of ownership” announcements that radio stations use to have to do?
Besides buying back their own LMA, and the sales organization does Lincoln get anything else? IIRC BLB sold it St Louis stations at a loss. Does Big League have any other operations?
Is Lincoln going to get serious about its radio properties? Even with the questionable ratings, 790 still bills lot. I do not how much financial damage the St. Louis operation caused BLB but I will bet Lincoln did not get the Zone back cheap.
Do LMA’s have to do the “change of ownership” announcements that radio stations use to have to do?
Besides buying back their own LMA, and the sales organization does Lincoln get anything else? IIRC BLB sold it St Louis stations at a loss. Does Big League have any other operations?
Is Lincoln going to get serious about its radio properties? Even with the questionable ratings, 790 still bills lot. I do not how much financial damage the St. Louis operation caused BLB but I will bet Lincoln did not get the Zone back cheap.
Cumulus has said they have money to spend - they could grab 94.1 and 790, then turn and kill off Q100's main competition, Star 94 (make it a decent AC, which Atlanta does not have)...RTibbs said:
You beat me to itMike said:
Yep...Cumulus has that new "Cumulus Radio Investors" group to go along with Cumulus Broadcasting and CMP.carolinaradio said:
And I still think Cumulus needs to merge Q100 and Star 94 at 94.1 and call it "94Q".
One caveat: If CC plays musical signals and moves Groove to 96.1 and WGST to 105.3 and Patron to 105.7, that will leave a big hole for active rock. Cumulus would love to have 3 rock stations with classic/heritage Rock100.5, alt [email protected], and a new active rock at 94.1.
R
Raydiohead
Guest
So, could it be possible that since 790 The Zone is out billing Star 94, LFM could possibly "flip" the two stations?
R
RadioNerd78
Guest
secondchoice said:
790 says they bill alot...as a private company, they don't have to report anything. They've let numerous talented guys go over the last 2 years (Home Team, Chernoff, Shaggy, Chuck Oliver, etc.), I promise you that LF got it all for a song. Steak and Salsa didn't want to sell, but had to. No way the guys that nurtured that thing for 13 years wanted to relinquish control...
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