Royce International saga, update

[rustyhodge]

It's very likely he will challenge the sales of every station. He still challenges every change Audacy wants to make based on the Sacramento story.

Isn't he a registered "Serial Litigator" or something like that?

 

[rustyhodge]

But with the lame duck that is 92.7, nah, it's never going to pay to do anything but simulcast KEXP in all but drive time hours, if that much.

I'm thinking there will be some overlapping of shows, KEXP-created shows that aren't time specific and can be broadcast whenever. KCRW LA used to (and maybe still) did that.

KEXP is a huge content creator. They have 3.1M subscribers‧17K videos on YT. They do events from big music festivals around the world. Think of 92.7 as just an advertisement for their other on-demand content.

I think it will work out good for them, and expect that they expand their footprint even more once they demonstrate the demand.

 

[TheBigA]

Think of 92.7 as just an advertisement for their other on-demand content.

Here's a little secret: You can make money creating on-demand content for YouTube and Facebook.

 

[speer360]

Will the other bidders who lost be public?

 

[cc333]

He will never give up causing people grief. He enjoys it too much, I think.

The only hope of him ever leaving anyone alone is that he, like all of us, will die eventually...

c

 

[nd2023]

Ed Stolz is certainly going to sue everyone who bid in the auction! Because he’s Ed Stolz.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Isn't he a registered "Serial Litigator" or something like that?

The term you're looking for is "vexatious litigant". There doesn't appear to be a list, at least online, of those declared to be a vexatious litigant by a federal court, but several states, including California, maintain such a list - though inclusion in such a list is limited to a number of years. See: Vexatious Litigant List - news_and_reference - Stolz is not on that California list at the present time.

Stolz has landed on that list before (appeal of that case denied in 1993): Stolz v. Bank of America (1993)

 

[nd2023]

The term you're looking for is "vexatious litigant". There doesn't appear to be a list, at least online, of those declared to be a vexatious litigant by a federal court, but several states, including California, maintain such a list - though inclusion in such a list is limited to a number of years. See: Vexatious Litigant List - news_and_reference - Stolz is not on that California list at the present time.

Stolz has landed on that list before (appeal of that case denied in 1993): Stolz v. Bank of America (1993)

He’s been a vexatious litigant for over 30 years. Can’t wait for the lawsuits against the winning bidders.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

It's very likely he will challenge the sales of every station. He still challenges every change Audacy wants to make based on the Sacramento story.

But the stations that Ed Stolz have disputes over like 107.9 FM is now owned by Iheart. 106.5 FM is now owned by Audacy and was previously KWOD-FM which Ed Stolz at one point managed.

KUDL - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[boiseengineer]

107.9 is actually a totally different station now. No relation to the previous 107.9 other than the frequency.
Deleted, facility ID retired.
ALLOCATION put up for auction.
Won by iHeart.
New facility ID.

 

[TheBigA]

Apparently Stoltz attempted to appeal the auction, but lost:

Appeals Court Tosses Stolz Effort To Block Station Auction, Days After Sale Takes Place.

A federal appeals court has dismissed a challenge brought by Royce International Broadcasting owner Ed Stolz that had sought to block the Oct. 26 bankruptcy auction of his stations in

www.insideradio.com

Another hearing was set for the 15th, and from what I see, the auction results were approved by the court, and the winners are free to proceed with their new stataions.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Bankrupt Bay Area radio station sells for $3.75 million to KEXP

After purchasing Bay Area hip-hop station KREV 92.7, KEXP is preparing to begin broadcasting out of the Bay Area.

www.sfgate.com

KEXP -- Coming Soon to the Bay Area

www.kexp.org

Ed Stolz can rant all he wants but KEXP has the final say here.

 

[davideduardo]

Bankrupt Bay Area radio station sells for $3.75 million to KEXP

After purchasing Bay Area hip-hop station KREV 92.7, KEXP is preparing to begin broadcasting out of the Bay Area.

www.sfgate.com

KEXP -- Coming Soon to the Bay Area

www.kexp.org

That message is worth reading. In particular, here is a major proponent of streams and new media explaining the $4 million purchase of a radio stations because they feel that terrestrial radio will be around for "a good long time".

 

[Mark Roberts]

Apparently Stoltz attempted to appeal the auction, but lost:

Appeals Court Tosses Stolz Effort To Block Station Auction, Days After Sale Takes Place.

A federal appeals court has dismissed a challenge brought by Royce International Broadcasting owner Ed Stolz that had sought to block the Oct. 26 bankruptcy auction of his stations in

www.insideradio.com

Another hearing was set for the 15th, and from what I see, the auction results were approved by the court, and the winners are free to proceed with their new stataions.

There still have to be applications for transfers of control with the FCC. The Inside Radio article correctly points out that Stolz could try to stop the transfers there. In reality, I think it's likely that he could only delay them. The Commission tends to defer to court-ordered sales, which is entirely understandable. Moreover, one suspects that Commission staff is well and truly done with Mr. Stolz and his record of litigiousness. Even so, it could be some time before KEXP and the other winners could take over unless an LMA, or its noncommercial equivalent in the case of KEXP, could be established with the present trustee.

 

[TheBigA]

The bankruptcy judge has approved the sale:

Judge Approves Sale Of Stolz Stations; Trio Of Buyers Now Head To FCC.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge August Landis has approved the sale of the Royce International Broadcasting stations, which went for a combined $6.4 million during a courthouse auction last month. In a

www.insideradio.com

Our long nightmare may be over.

 

[radiofan2023]

Let’s all give thanks

 

[boiseengineer]

I like this part of the Inside Radio article:
"The court approval clears the way for applications to transfer the station licenses to be filed with the Federal Communications Commission. While Royce owner Ed Stolz in the past has used the FCC review process to stall station sales, Landis’ order seems to limit that possibility this time. It blocks Stolz and Royce from “taking any action to adversely affect or interfere” with the trustee’s ability to transfer the stations to their prospective buyers. That includes an explicit prohibition on taking any action or filing any pleadings with the FCC that would prevent the transfer from moving forward."

 

[Mark Roberts]

I like this part of the Inside Radio article:
"The court approval clears the way for applications to transfer the station licenses to be filed with the Federal Communications Commission. While Royce owner Ed Stolz in the past has used the FCC review process to stall station sales, Landis’ order seems to limit that possibility this time. It blocks Stolz and Royce from “taking any action to adversely affect or interfere” with the trustee’s ability to transfer the stations to their prospective buyers. That includes an explicit prohibition on taking any action or filing any pleadings with the FCC that would prevent the transfer from moving forward."

Even if Stolz might try, the FCC tends to defer to bankruptcy courts when it comes to transfers of control, for understandable reasons.

Nothing filed yet for KREV but I imagine this is going to be a slow week for just about any bureaucratic function in the United States.