KDJQ any comments?

[ebol]

off air...financial problems? how much of a player was this station in the market?

shame to see it ideal.

 

[nwoidaho]

As of last communication posted on this deal is that Wells Fargo owns the station and is looking for about $380k to get it out of financial trouble. This station also has transmitter location and power issues. The current location of the transmitter only allows this station to be on full power during the daytime at 50kw. At night, they have to turn it down to something like 28 watts to protect stations in Alaska and Nevada. The last ownership group looked into moving the transmitter, changing the frequency, ect...Figured out the cost would be in the million dollar range to have the ability to broadcast from one transmitter site with a consistent power output. The station has been dark for over a year now.

 

[nwoidaho]

After further investigation, I found this bit of information: http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/88069/mississippi-am-sold?ref=search

"After several abortive attempts at a deal, KDJQ-A/BOISE is being sold by court-ordered auction through GREG MERRILL of MEDIA SERVICES GROUP. MERRILL is taking bids through APRIL 1st for the station; reach him at (435) 753-8090 or [email protected]."

 

[boiseengineer]

They have been dark since 5/10/2010. Have untill that date to fire up the day site for a few days or loose the license.

 

[nwoidaho]

Does anyone know if the bank got any bids for this station? The last sale that didn't happen was for $325k for what's basically a 50,000 watt daytime AM station. It would seem that this station has either a frequency issue or a transmitter location issue. What would it take to broadcast from one site with a consistent wattage output? What would it take to broadcast from only one transmitter site without having to take the wattage at night down to 250 watts?

 

[boiseengineer]

The day site is at Kuna-Mora Road and Pleasant Valley Road. Their city of license is Meridian. They are restricted how much signal they can send towards 890 KBBI Homer AK. Seems that's in about the same direction as Meridian. They can't put a "city grade" 2 mV/m signal over Meridian from there. Thusly the need for a night site near Meridian.

 

[boiseengineer]

The clasical music keep the license programming has started on 890.

The FCC is looking at changes in what constitutes being "on the air".
What changes? A station could not be off for nearly an entire year, turn it on for a few days playing only music, then shut it off. "Serving the public interest" (what-ever that is) would be factored into if they keep the license.

 

[w9wi]

The clasical music keep the license programming has started on 890.

The FCC is looking at changes in what constitutes being "on the air".
What changes? A station could not be off for nearly an entire year, turn it on for a few days playing only music, then shut it off. "Serving the public interest" (what-ever that is) would be factored into if they keep the license.

I would suppose one way to do it would be to require stations to annually place an item in their public file certifying the station complied with the minimum operating schedule rules in 73.1740 for X of the previous 52 weeks. Establish some minimum value for X (say, 26) for the station to retain its license.

I would suggest it would be VERY difficult to establish a requirement for actual programming (as opposed to test patterns) without running afoul of the First Amendment. (A TV station in Alabama lost its license recently for failing to operate for over a year -- even though it actually did come on the air to broadcast a test pattern for 24 hours. I'm VERY surprised they didn't appeal.) (indeed, back in the 1950s a test pattern was considered public service, assisting people in setting up their receivers & antennas..)

(and really, is a station that only plays music & IDs really not serving the public? As long as they can count on it to show up every day...)

 

[boiseengineer]

Serving the public is over for another year.
Static on 890.

 

[nwoidaho]

Boise’s KDJQ (890) could be the poster child for the challenges faced by sellers over the past several years. On three separate occasions it found a buyer, each time for a bit less money. But with none of the deals making it to the finish line, the Idaho courts are now selling KDJQ. Robert Combs signed on KDJQ, Meridian, ID in 2003 with 50,000 watts day and a directional 250-watt signal at night. It began with
an urban oldies format, then segued to regional Mexican music. When Combs fell behind on his loan payments, he struck a deal in 2007 to sell KDJQ to Oregon’s Churchill Media for $962,500. But Churchill ran into its own financial trouble and the deal didn’t close. So Combs found a new buyer in early 2008. Salt & Light Radio agreed to pay $700,000 for KDJQ. But that deal cratered as the economy weakened. After Combs fell even further behind on his loan with nearly $600,000 still due, the bank grew impatient and went to court. Salt Lake City’s Zions First National Bank foreclosed on the station in late 2008. It hired Media Services Group broker Greg Merrill to act as the receiver until a buyer was found. More than one year later he thought he had one, when Inglesia Misionera Pentecotes agreed to buy KDJQ for $325,000 last March. But again, the deal fell apart when the buyer couldn’t raise the money. Merrill says, “It shows just how hard it is to sell an AM station today.” The Boise market has several large operators — Citadel, Journal Broadcast Group and Peak Broadcasting — but none have expressed interest. So Merrill expects KDJQ to go to a religious or Hispanic broadcaster. He expects the station to fetch $250,000 to $275,000 when the bids are unsealed April 1.

Has anyone heard who had 'the winning bid' for KDJQ?

 

[boiseengineer]

All Access (via PDX Radio) & others report...
They had the auction. Purchaser is Terry Mathis former Citadel SLC Sales Manager.
$139,500