Fort Walton news?

[Poledo]

Has there been any progress in Qantum's lawsuit over ownership of WTKE?Anyone have an idea on when the new 93.3 (WPGG move-in) will sign on the air?

 

[Rob]

The ticket sucks. Why they don't become a 10KW AM station and make the 98.1 a new station.

93.3 is WNCV (as you probably know by now)

Ft. Walton Beach radio sucks

Rob

 

[DJ3113]

I heard today that it will likely be at least another 2 years before WTKE settles to Qantum. There are lots of legal wrangling yet to take place. And, word is that the programming on 98.1 The Ticket WTKE will move over to 100.3 FM KROCK when the sale finalizes. I am glad because they are very, very good at sports. I don't care for the news talk, but they have GREAT sports talk.

 

[wkrpfm]

wow, that's a bold statement Rob. Very generic as well. Hope you found a place to live in another market where you can be a Mr. Cranky McCrank pants.

 

[cceng1]

rant on....
you are right KRP....rob has no concept of how broadcasting works, how channels are assigned, etc.....the concept of "hey, lets put a 10kw AM station on the air" seems normal to him....he just doesn't get it....he makes statements like this all the time....my recommendation is to just ignore his posts....

rant off......

cw

 

[RADIO TRUTH]

Fort Walton Beach radio was better in the 60s and 70s. Where are WNUE and Gabby Bruce when you really need them?

 

[Rob]

Last I heard about the ticket, it was in the process of being purchased.

Sorry about the rant, the one thing I hate is sportz on the FM band. GURRR.
This could take another year or so.

I wonder what will happen after the sale? FM Talk I can tolerate because the MW band here is saturated with Mexico at night. Especially if FWB gets a 98KW FM station that airs coast to coast am, I'm game.
(Try listening to WFTW at night it's impossible unless you rent an apartment in Denton BLVD)

-Rob

 

[FiveStar]

Fort Walton Beach radio was better in the 60s and 70s. Where are WNUE and Gabby Bruce when you really need them?

I was part of that hot little top 40 in the mid 70's (a VERY small part). The change from a rinky dink little small town station happened when M.D. Smith hired a consultant named Bob Baron to clean up the clutter, tighten the playlist and upgrade the air talent. In it's prime, I would have put WNUE up against any small market top 40 and it could have held it's own in plenty of bigger markets. Ah, those were the days....

By the way, Bob Baron went on to a career as at TV weather guy before building a hugely successful business selling weather radar systems to TV stations all over the world. Not bad for a guy who started off as a DJ in Huntsville, Alabama.

 

[Fran]

Looks now like Qantum will not get WTKE . . . .

 

[Poledo]

Details? Link to source? Will Cumulus get it? Is Star keeping it?

 

[Fran]

The source if from one of the Qantum management execs in another Q market. Story is, the lender, Wells Fargo, is first in line, thus, to acquire the station Q would have to pay off the existing debt, substantially greater than the value of the station. Although Q has a record of overpaying, it is doubtful that Q could find a lender willing to overpay these days.

 

[Poledo]

It sounds like you're suggesting Quantum dropped the lawsuit over finances? That would make the WTKE situation very interesting again.

 

[Fran]

It sounds like you're suggesting Quantum dropped the lawsuit over finances? That would make the WTKE situation very interesting again.

I do not know the exact status of the lawsuit. What I was told is that if Q wins, they would have to pay Wells Fargo a sum that exceeds the value of the station. Maybe there is more to it, but that is all I was told.