What would be the best option in the sale / format change of a CCM station?

[anotherguyTN]

This hypothetical question was inspired by the KOKF thread below: If you owned a CCM station in an area that may or may not have competition, and were in a position where you needed to sell or make a format change, what option would you choose?

First of all, I'd consider the listeners and try to find an owner that would keep a CCM format, preferably local. If that was not an option I'd consider selling to a major satellite network like EMF or WAY-FM.

If that wasn't possible I might sell to a group that might be more traditional, but still might make some time for CCM, or possibly consider a format change to a more traditional format that would still have some time for CCM.

What I would NOT sell to would be a group that would be anti-CCM, or a dollar a holler type format. I'd sell to someone who would do a (clean) secular format before I would do that.

Any other thoughts?

 

[radioelizabeth]

This hypothetical question...

Any other thoughts?

I think the question would have to dig deeper.

WHY is the station having the need to sell? What is the company's vision or overall goal with all the stations it owns? Are the listeners who donated made aware that their donations are for current operating expenses or are those pledges for future expenses and are they giving to the company as a whole (and all it's frequencies) or simply given for the local budgets and do the donors have a choice in that regard?

I think it's easy to wish a format could stay, but it could be that the station has shown that format cannot be sustained, if that is the case, what would make another owner capable of doing it?

Consider that the company may be able to utilize money from the sale to further another frequency in the exsisting or another market...where the need is greater in regards to the company's overall mission and vision.

While no one wants to hear porn radio show up on a previous CCM format (a recent example of such a sale), and some do not want CCM to replace CHR or Urban...etc... in this very fluid industry...there are a million reasons why these changes occur daily...yes...daily....that make those out of the loop rush to judgement, when really...all the facts are simply not broadcast...


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[bueller]

Perhaps the new group could put resources into the same format that the other owners weren't able to, instead of abandoning the format completely. If KOKF wasn't successful but could have been with proper management or marketing and EMF refused to look at that option and research it, then their "overall vision" has superceded their obligations of the license and their refusal to provide local service should be looked at seriously before allowing them to purchase more stations.

 

[radioelizabeth]

Perhaps the new group could put resources into the same format that the other owners weren't able to, instead of abandoning the format completely. If KOKF wasn't successful but could have been with proper management or marketing and EMF refused to look at that option and research it, then their "overall vision" has superceded their obligations of the license and their refusal to provide local service should be looked at seriously before allowing them to purchase more stations.

Perhaps a new owner could do that. If that was their vision and goal.

Regarding, again, the complaint against EMF...can you please provide information on how they would have been neglect in their obligations of the license and profiding local service?

 

[bueller]

Apart from the ID and underwriting announcements, is there any local content on KOKF or any other EMF satellite-delivered station in their network?

 

[radioelizabeth]

Apart from the ID and underwriting announcements, is there any local content on KOKF or any other EMF satellite-delivered station in their network?

It appears you are still researching this...

Your previous post stated that if EMF did not research the previous format and operation of the former owner, then they were neglect in their obligations for license...can you cite how they have been neglect in their obligations based on your statement?

 

[anotherguyTN]

I have a question about the Christian station that was sold and changed to a porn format. In the article I read about that It at http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/27/christian.sexradio.ap/index.html, it mentioned that this was probably a temporary stunt. In looking at Radio-locator.com, it shows the station as having been a K-LOVE station, although it was listed as being owned by another company. What happened with this? Did K-LOVE have an LMA that ran out? I think that this is definite proof that some station owners are more interested in making a buck off the Christian audience and when they can make more money doing something else, they drop the Christian format.

Unfortunately some anti-CCM people will latch onto this and make it out like EMF was the owner and they sold or changed to a porn format. ??? :-[

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I pulled the intellectual legs out from under the anti-CCM crowd ten years ago, and they have yet to respond to me. So hopefully the old fogies are dying off and will stop limiting the ministry of Christ through radio to young people.

As for selling a station - a lot of the discussion assumes the station has time, options, and multiple buyers. If the owner is in a hole, desperate, an in debt - they have to sell to whoever has the money. It is nice to be idealistic, and nobody would want to sell to porn radio, but if the choice is sell or go personally bankrupt, the owner has to do what he has to do. Of course, many Christians would prefer bankruptcy to selling out to satan, but if the inevitable result is porn radio anyway - what is to be done? Better to get out of the whole and put what money is left into ministry than have it go to the courts. Tough question.

 

[radioelizabeth]

I have a question about the Christian station that was sold and changed to a porn format. In the article I read about that It at http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/27/christian.sexradio.ap/index.html, it mentioned that this was probably a temporary stunt......

I think that this is definite proof that some station owners are more interested in making a buck off the Christian audience and when they can make more money doing something else, they drop the Christian format.

I'm not sure how this is proof of that... maybe you can elaborate? I might have missed something in what you were saying? The "porn radio" stunt garners attention. A lot of times new owners shock the audience for quick exposure and publicity. It's not too uncommon.

It's unfortunate someone would opt to do business this way, considering many children were probably put to sleep to that frequency and it most likely was the preset in the car, kitchen, etc. for some... and while certainly business is business...that doesn't make it less nerve racking to the parents of little ears quickly scanning away...

But again...it is idealism that wants ethics and mores to dominate every decision....and assume all would have the same definitions and understanding of both...

Regarding station owners "making a buck" off the Christian audience.... we are <i>all</i> statistics in some fashion of another, and someone somewhere is making a buck of every single person, every single second of every single day.

 

[radio4Him]

Apart from the ID and underwriting announcements, is there any local content on KOKF or any other EMF satellite-delivered station in their network?

No.

 

[radio4Him]

I think that this is definite proof that some station owners are more interested in making a buck off the Christian audience and when they can make more money doing something else, they drop the Christian format.

Big Presumption.

 

[neutralobserver]

There are so many misconceptions in this...

Here's how things went down:

-- EMF did not own this station, which is actually a relatively weak signal located rather south of Fresno.
-- EMF picked up another signal in the market; in fact, it was a *better* signal, and I think they bought it.
-- EMF gave notice of plans to discontinue the LMA of the first station.
-- The owner sold the station to a company in which Jerry Clifton is a principal.
-- Under the operation of the new owner, the station pulled the "Porn Radio" stunt.
-- The "Porn Radio" stunt, I believe, ended after only two days; much of the press coverage of it came well after it had ended!
-- People started coming on the web, making false assumptions, and posting things that were wrong.

 

[radioelizabeth]

There are so many misconceptions in this...

Here's how things went down:

-- EMF did not own this station, which is actually a relatively weak signal located rather south of Fresno.
-- EMF picked up another signal in the market; in fact, it was a *better* signal, and I think they bought it.
-- EMF gave notice of plans to discontinue the LMA of the first station.
-- The owner sold the station to a company in which Jerry Clifton is a principal.
-- Under the operation of the new owner, the station pulled the "Porn Radio" stunt.
-- The "Porn Radio" stunt, I believe, ended after only two days; much of the press coverage of it came well after it had ended!
-- People started coming on the web, making false assumptions, and posting things that were wrong.

The illustration was used as an extreme example. And short lived or not...there was change in format on a frequency that swapped.

This illustration highlights that idealism in format swaps is just that... idealism. Christian radio or not.


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[anotherguyTN]

Perhaps I spoke too soon in saying that the previous owners were interested only in making a buck off the Christian audience. If EMF picked up a better signal and ended the LMA themselves, then the owner bears no blame in that. Although I think it was a bad move by the new owners to do the porn stunt, if the previous owners were strictly a secular outfit then I don't expect them to play by the same rules that I would hope a Christian owner would do.

I knew that EMF wasn't the owner of the station after doing some research. But what I said that some anti-CCM people will jump on this still stands. With outfits like "Dial the Truth" they don't mind resorting to using half truths or even lies without checking the facts if they can use it as an excuse to attack CCM.

 

[brian.marchand]

EMF owned KFYE, it was an LMA

Misinformation is being spread still this time by neutral observer. He/she got some wrong information and must not know as much as is presummed or conveyed.

EMF owned KFYE 106.3 Kingsburg, CA until 7/17/2006 when it was sold to Proactive Communications, Inc. EMF was NOT leasing it. EMF owned KFYE. EMF has been trying to sell KFYE since they signed on KQKL 88.5 Selma, CA on 8/1/2003 from the same tower. KQKL was an original CP EMF was granted.

With a better signal from the same tower EMF did not need it for K-Love and chose not to put air1 on it. Maybe that was because christian chr KDUV 88.9 MHz Visalia, CA is already in the area but KDUV would be weak in Fresno.

KFYE 106.3 is 420ft 16kw B1
KQKL 88.5 is 492ft 50kw DA B

The fcc site is down this weekend and has been down a lot the past couple of weeks. So I can not post a link to the sales agreement at this time on the fcc website. But here is even a link to a story that says EMF owned it and sold it.

http://www.mediainfocenter.org/story.asp?story_id=96060697

"The station, which Clifton purchased July 17 from the Educational Media Foundation for $3.75 million, is operating out of a trailer in Kingsburg. Clifton said he's working on a deal to locate his studios in downtown Fresno. Prior to the deal, KFYE played Christian music, sermons and Bible stories."

Here is another link to the sale posted 4/10/2006 on broadcasting and cable magazine. This would have been when the sales agreement was filed at the fcc. It took until recently for the fcc to approve the sale and the new owners to take control on 7/17/2006.

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6323153.html?display=Deals


KFYE(FM) Kingsburg (Fresno), Calif.
PRICE: $2.75 million
BUYER: Proactive Communications Inc. (Gerald Clifton, CEO); owns two other stations, none in this market
SELLER: Educational Media Foundation (Richard Jenkins, president)
FACILITIES: 106.3 MHz, 16 kW, ant. 420 ft.
FORMAT: Christian Contemporary
BROKER: MCH Enterprises Inc. and Montcalm LLC

 

[radio4Him]

Perhaps I spoke too soon in saying that the previous owners were interested only in making a buck off the Christian audience. If EMF picked up a better signal and ended the LMA themselves, then the owner bears no blame in that. Although I think it was a bad move by the new owners to do the porn stunt, if the previous owners were strictly a secular outfit then I don't expect them to play by the same rules that I would hope a Christian owner would do.

I knew that EMF wasn't the owner of the station after doing some research. But what I said that some anti-CCM people will jump on this still stands. With outfits like "Dial the Truth" they don't mind resorting to using half truths or even lies without checking the facts if they can use it as an excuse to attack CCM.

Who really cares about the negative people who spread half truths, again you said it "half truths" - if it isn't the whole truth than what it is it? Why do we freak out about what these people care about- my two cents.

 

[neutralobserver]

Misinformation is being spread still this time by neutral observer. He/she got some wrong information....

Yes, I was making a hit-and-run-ish quickie post out of frustration and didn't fact-check. Thank you for the correction.

 

[William_Yeager]

The best option would to be not to sell, unless if the station was picking up a new signal. Only in broadcasting can a non-profit sell the primary reason for its existence (radio or TV station).

 

[smashedcd]

Apart from the ID and underwriting announcements, is there any local content on KOKF or any other EMF satellite-delivered station in their network?

No.

there is local content on wbkl 92.7 baton rouge. local psa's. and at least one local ministry wih a 2 minute daily feature.
i dont understand the hatred for klove. i really dont. it made our local station better. not worse!

 

[rbrucecarter5]

If you are talking about REAL CCM in Baton Rouge, that would be a very good development. Too long - the anti-CCM forces of Jimmy Swaggart have had a monopoly on Baton Rouge. Something not filtered through their personal musical bias would be wonderful, especially since the city has experienced tremendous growth after Katrina. Finally, the young people in Baton Rouge have Christian radio to minister to them - WONDERFUL! No more DX'ing or settling for secular.