Cox purchase of Southern Broadcasting Athens stations

[jabba17]

This got lost in all of the happenings at Cumulus, but is worth noting.

Cox is buying Southern Broadcasting's five Athens stations:

WNGC 106.1 (country)
WPUP Bulldog 103.7 (active rock)
WGMG Magic 102.1 (AC)
WRFC 960 The Ref (sports)
WGAU 1340 (news/talk).

WGAU is only 1000 watts and can't up their power without interfering with WALR 1340 in Atlanta.
WGMG is only 10,000 watts and can't up their power without interfering with La Raza WLKQ 102.3 in Buford.
WRFC is only 5000 watts day, 2500 watts directional night and can't up their power without interfering with WNIV 970 in Atlanta.
WPUP is 25kW, and is sitting on a CP to move their city of license from Royston to Arcade (and their tower to Pendergrass), but still won't quite make most of Atlanta.

However...

WNGC is a full 100kW and reaches east Atlanta, southwestern Greenville, and all of Athens and Clemson. Their tower is in Gainesville. They can't up their power since they're at the FCC max, and they can't move in any closer because of Viva 105.7.

I can't see the first four being anything but a local Athens play. But WNGC could do more. I can't believe that Cox would sit on that and be a country also-ran in the ATL and Greenville markets. Greenville country is dominated by 100kW WSSL and 95kW (on a 610 m above average terrain stick) WESC, both owned by CC.

Any ideas what Cox's plans for 106.1 might be?

 

[ClarkKent]

Read the article again, Jabba. Cox bought Southern's stations in Athens to "increase their presence along the I-85 Corridor." It's not all about making every station an Atlanta move-in. Besides, if they did, Cox would have to sell off one station they already have in town, and that's not likely. The way I've understood it from what I've read, Southern/Cox in Athens is pretty much staying what it's been, station for station, at least for the time being. Don't count on any flips or moves any time soon.

But what do I know? We could wake up tomorrow and find all 5 stations playing disco, death metal, Hurban (remember that buzz word?), polka and swing music. It's pointless to guess. ;D

 

[OutOfTheBiz]

Cox has/will always want to dominate in their hometown. Now, a significant proportion of affluent Atlantans live way outside the perimeter on 85 North. Just another way to reach potential customers and build their revenue. I'll bet these stations never had much success selling to Atlanta advertisers, but that will change.

 

[littlejohn]

I read someplace, that the center of population for the metro is currently located at Pill Hill, GA 400 and I 285. I';d believe it. As it migrates North and East, it probably makes sense to have coverage of the area.

 

[jabba17]

Read the article again, Jabba. Cox bought Southern's stations in Athens to "increase their presence along the I-85 Corridor."

That's what they said. I doubt that they would tip their hand if they did have other designs on 106.1.

It's not all about making every station an Atlanta move-in. Besides, if they did, Cox would have to sell off one station they already have in town, and that's not likely.

Of course. None of those stations can move in physically without taking another station dark, or exceeding FCC power or separation limits. That's not going to happen with any of these stations, period. Viva is owned by CC, WNIV is owned by Salem, WALR is owned by the Dickeys. None of these guys are small-time players looking to cash out. Heck, if you wanted to power up 1340 in ATL it'd be easier to buy WALR from the Dickeys and take WGAU dark.

I'm not sure what the FCC ownership limits are this week. But you raise an interesting point....

What if Cox wanted to buy 106.1 to put another signal in Atlanta..."without" putting another signal in Atlanta and breaking FCC ownership limits?

Southern Broadcasting used to own South 107 out of Rome, another station not considered to be in the Atlanta market. I wonder if Cox would be interested in doing a "twin-tower" arrangement, simulcasting on 106.1 and 107.1, similar to the old Y106/Y104 arrangement on 106.7 and 104.1 (or more recently with CC's simulcasts on 105.7 and 105.3 or 96.7)?

But what do I know? We could wake up tomorrow and find all 5 stations playing disco, death metal, Hurban (remember that buzz word?), polka and swing music. It's pointless to guess.

But it's a lot of fun! ;D

 

[taylorengineer]

It was possible, at least a few years back, to move 106.1 to the WFOX tower.(WSRV....excuse me)
This would yield another signal like 95.5. Is that signal worth 60 million dollars? Boy Bob seems to think it is.
They paid $78 million for 95.5....but with Radio One unable to sell a full signal signal for $100 million.....I dunno!

 

[trusty]

Heck, if you wanted to power up 1340 in ATL it'd be easier to buy WALR from the Dickeys and take WGAU dark.

Ain't gonna happen.

 

[jabba17]

It was possible, at least a few years back, to move 106.1 to the WFOX tower.(WSRV....excuse me)
This would yield another signal like 95.5. Is that signal worth 60 million dollars? Boy Bob seems to think it is.
They paid $78 million for 95.5....but with Radio One unable to sell a full signal signal for $100 million.....I dunno!

...and the previous owner of 95.5 was...Southern Broadcasting.

Cox did swap the Beat's tower (in Winder) with Eagle's tower (on the Fox/River tower near Chateau Elan) when they moved the Beat's CoL from Athens to Doraville. Eagle claimed to be upgrading their signal, but they had to reduce their power and push their broadcast area even more eastward in the process. This also gave them more overlap with 106.1. I can't see how this could have been an "upgrade". Maybe Disney wanted cash out of their radio assets by way of Cox before they sold out to Citadel. Although it now makes more sense why Eagle's and Kicks's formats have grown more similar, since they overlap less than they once did, although being a classic country fan I'm disappointed. But I digress.

With all of McClure's/Jacor's/CC's tweaking and moving in of 105.7 over the years, is there still any room for 106.1 to move in any more with only one channel of separation?

What signal was Radio One trying to sell? I didn't think they had any full-power stations in ATL...

 

[OutOfTheBiz]

Southern Broadcasting used to own South 107 out of Rome, another station not considered to be in the Atlanta market. I wonder if Cox would be interested in doing a "twin-tower" arrangement, simulcasting on 106.1 and 107.1, similar to the old Y106/Y104 arrangement on 106.7 and 104.1 (or more recently with CC's simulcasts on 105.7 and 105.3 or 96.7)?

Actually Souther still owns South107. And to add to the coincidence... Southern was originally a partnership between Paul Stone and Charles Giddens - Athens native, DC media broker. One of Charles' biggest "coups" as a broker was coming up with the idea and executing the deals for the 104.1/106.7 simulcast. He did that for Dick Ferguson and NewCity Communications who later sold their stations to... Cox.

 

[jabba17]

Heck, if you wanted to power up 1340 in ATL it'd be easier to buy WALR from the Dickeys and take WGAU dark.

Ain't gonna happen.

Thanks for the info--I had forgotten about that. I saw that a while back when wondering why old WAKE couldn't power up way back when to save its tail from suburban sprawl, or the Dickeys' talk radio station couldn't either (before WGST, WSB, and WGKA poached all of their good programs).

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Cox did swap the Beat's tower (in Winder) with Eagle's tower (on the Fox/River tower near Chateau Elan) when they moved the Beat's CoL from Athens to Doraville. Eagle claimed to be upgrading their signal, but they had to reduce their power and push their broadcast area even more eastward in the process. This also gave them more overlap with 106.1. I can't see how this could have been an "upgrade".

Close, but not exactly right. The original Beat tower is off 81 south of 316, which I think is officially Bethlehem, GA. That is not the tower that Eagle is on. After a year or so, Cox did move WBTS to the WFOX/WYAY tower near Chateau Elan.

WALR-FM was a little farther south off 81 when it was at 104.7. When The Fish took over 104.7, that became their tower. Then Salem built a new, taller tower for The Fish next to the old one. Eagle moved its antenna to that tower, which is now shared by Eagle and The Fish. While I agree with you that it was not really a signal upgrade, I believe it was done to get the Eagle closer to Atlanta, and according to the coverage map, the signal now city grades slightly more of Atlanta. When the Eagle moved, WBTS's antenna on the 97.1 tower was re-mounted on the Eagle's former position, helping the Beat signal.

 

[taylorengineer]

Sorry about that.....I got distracted while posting and did not make an accurate statement.
Radio One, according to the other Tom Taylor, is trying to sell the KKBT in Los Angelos for 100 million with no takers. Liggins can't find a buyer for market #2....a full city signal....for 100 million dollars.
Cox paid $283 million for 104.7. What cash flow multiple that was based on? I don't know......
KKBT probably has little cash flow with the non existant ratings and radio, as an investment, is thumbs down with many. But still....LA....big signal....no buyers!
60 Million is 15-20 times cash flow....too much money for a "I-85 station." Boy Bob and his Teddy Bears have a secret!