Lincoln Financial Media On The Block?

[noknownuser]

According to a report on WSJ.com, Lincoln Financial Media, owner of country KYGO-FM, Rhy. CHR KS107-5, Smooth Jazz KJCD-FM, Sports KKFN-AM & KEPN-AM, are looking to sell all their media properties, which includes 14 other radio stations in Miami, Charlotte, San Diego, Atlanta, and other markets, plus TV outlets, and their sports division that airs SEC and ACC football and basketball.

Who would the likely suitors be? Clear Channel is at their limit. CBS/Denver would love to grow their cluster but can't seem to operate the 3 FM's they currently own. Entercom can only grow by 2 FM's & 1 more AM. Any ideas for companies who'd like to break into Denver?

http://users1.wsj.com/lmda/do/checkLogin?mg=evo-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB117755738148783079.html%3Fmod%3Dhps_us_at_glance_mm

 

[proddude41]

If it's true, and Lincoln is up for sale, Cox has long wanted in to Denver. Rumor has also been that Emmis does, too.

Cumulus, if it still has a path to the Hong Kong financing that built the company, could also be a contender.

Whoever it is, IF it is, it'll have to be someone fairly big. My first thought is Cox.

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

Cox would want one of the TV stations as well (If they don't get Comcast to sell out, which isn't likely unless hell suddenly freezes over). Since neither Tribune, CBS, McGraw Hill, Gannett nor FOX seem interested in selling their respective properties (Although McGraw Hill has expressed interest in the past) and LeSea, ION, Univision and NBC Universal certainly won't sell out, I'd rule them out completely.

Emmis has burned its bridge in Denver when they wrecked Alice 106.

Cumulus would be a possibility as would Citadel (The latter especially since they distribute Disney/ABC content and AM 1600 is now an ESPN Radio affiliate).

Beyond that, I would have to say CBS Radio (You know they want an AM stick to compete with KOA Radio) would be the likely buyer.

Thoughts? Comments?

Cheers

 

[rapking]

I hope somebody do something to Denver awful Rap station !

 

[noknownuser]

Not that I disagree, Rapking, but what are your issues with KS1075? I'm curious to hear what you think.

 

[Johnnie_Radio]

well it looks like it's official.....Lincoln is looking to sale.


http://www.radioandrecords.com/RRWebSite/


if this happens....maybe KS will sound better....and expand their playlist..

 

[Jay F]

If Cox is the buyer look for more liner cards and less personality. They are VERY research oriented and slow to add new music.

 

[noknownuser]

Sample KQKS positioner if Cox takes ownership:

KS-1075, Denver's #1 for ALL of Today's Hip-Hop and R&B and the home of the 50-minute music hour...

 

[Signal_Faded]

I could see Cumulus making a move here as well. Sometimes i think these moves (buying and selling radio) are more defensive than offensive. I doubt that Cumulus would like to see Citadel get these as well. I think that Charlotte is more appealing to Cumulus than Denver though...closer to their home base Atlanta.

 

[Josh_Cols]

I could see COX buying the whole shootin match, meaning the entire Lincoln portfolio. Cox would likely either ruin KYGO by making them sound like K99 in Dayton, Ohio where they have used the same liner "K 99 point one FM, todays new country and your familiar favorites" or "Were in the middle of a 50 minute music hour of todays new country and your familiar favorites on K 99 point one FM". K99 is also slow at adding to their blah playlist, and the personalities who were great on other stations are ho-hum on K99. I think Lincoln would sell the entire portfolio as opposed to breaking up the sale thus creating more paper work and longer to get the feds approval. At least with COX, they would be a good owner, they have piles of cash, they are usually managed well, their stations are well engineered, and they are an all around stable radio owner and operator, unlike Emmis that could buy Lincoln long enought to stay for a cup of coffee, run the cluster into the ground, and disappear again.

 

[jmohare]

First off...if Cumulus moved into this market, I would shoot myself in the face. Furthermore, Entercom can still own a couple more stations. They have the money and the space...what's stopping them from picking up a couple from Lincoln?

 

[JeeperOne]

Hi everyone:

First off...if Cumulus moved into this market, I would shoot myself in the face. Furthermore, Entercom can still own a couple more stations. They have the money and the space...what's stopping them from picking up a couple from Lincoln?

Well now that AM 1600 has gone to 24/7 ESPN Radio, there's no reason why they can't grab that station. Add that to the fact that KEZW-AM 1430's core audience is slowly dying off, I think it's only a matter of time before Entercomm flips it to a WINS-style all-news format to better compliment AM 1600.

They could also do something with 107.5 as well. The first thing would be to program it better. Maybe they could also land KJCD 104.3 as well. I wouldn't try to fix the machine as it isn't broken, though tweaking it just a bit might not hurt.

CBS could land KYGO-FM 98.5 as this would free up 92.5 for something that would get better ratings (Like an FM talk station or 24/7 simulcasting of KKFN-AM 950 The Fan, which they can also acquire, for instance).

In short, unless Cumulus and/or Citadel decide to expand into town, I say the Entercomm cluster will be split between Entercomm & CBS as indicated above since they have the most experience in the market other than Clear Channel, who can't expand in Denver at all anymore.

Just my opinion....

Cheers

 

[only1moore]

Personally, if any company gets Lincoln's Denver cluster, I don't see them making any changes. All you have to do is look at how profitable and ratings-dominant KYGO, KQKS and KJCD are to insure that it'll be business as usual, so why tamper with a successful product.

 

[jmohare]

Onlyonemoore, I agree with you. They are already successful. Owning them alone would be HUGE for any company that gets them in terms of $.