WILL FRANK FM GO BUST?

[backinblack]

According to several stories on All Access and other sites, Nassau has til Nov. 30th to pay for Frank FM.
WDAC broadcasting is still the owner and Nassau has not been able to get the financing. WDAC could sell it to somebody else, take it back, or continue with this arrangement. Tough time to get financing for a radio station!. Could get interesting. Perhaps Frank's income fell way short of expectations in this markert due to WRFY's dominance and their cooler than Frank's D.J.s Any info or thoughts on this from anybody.

 

[drpickle]

Congress may include it in the buyout bill. More meetings will be held to discuss ways to include Frank in their plans.

 

[Betrayed]

That's promising news. It would make a ton of folks happy if WDAC maintained ownership and flipped it back to One-Oh-Seven-Five Alive.

 

[Rockin Rob]

This will wind up one of three ways:

1) More than likely, Nassau will get up the trump to buy FKB outright.

2) This scenario would have a new company step in to buy 107.5, which would probably mark the end of Frank.

3) I'll admit this would be the long shot: WDAC retains WFKB and returns religious to 107.5, perhaps with Nassau having to relinquish the WBYN calls (with 1160 flipping to something else, or selling the once-WYNS to WDAC).

 

[eyg2181]

frank aint going anywhere. and wdac needs a new dial position, it interferes with pst in pst local range

 

[rdcuffpa1]

Tough time to get financing for a radio station!. Could get interesting. Perhaps Frank's income fell way short of expectations in this markert due to WRFY's dominance and their cooler than Frank's D.J.s Any info or thoughts on this from anybody.

You said it yourself... tough time to get financing...

My guess is that the LMA is extended.

After all, it's like it was when the airlines all filed Chapter 11. Those who owned the airplanes -- GE and other leasing companies -- really couldn't do much except accept renegotiated leases from the airlines. After all, what would GE do with a bunch of airplanes? It isn't an airline.

If Nassau is having a tough time coming up with the scratch to buy the station, you can bet that everyone else would too. That's why I am betting on the status quo.

Richard in Allentown

 

[plooker]

from what I'm hearing in Philly, Nassau is taking a huge pounding in the New England markets, they have notes coming due with their backers.. and they ain't making budget! They seem to be in a very bad place(as many clustersare) Looks like Frrank is Terminal! Also here the entire Pa. cluster is on the market to help pay the notes.(Apparently the only cash + operation at present.) This is only hearsay obviously, but from what I'm hearing 2nd hand from insiders,lotsa folkks are worried about jobs, where theres smoke, there is fire!

 

[double-d-sharp]

After all, it's like it was when the airlines all filed Chapter 11. Those who owned the airplanes -- GE and other leasing companies -- really couldn't do much except accept renegotiated leases from the airlines. After all, what would GE do with a bunch of airplanes? It isn't an airline.

Like Richard...I would probably expect an extended lease -- that is, unless Nassau is really in such dire straits as plooker has indicated.

However...The difference between GE/Airlines and WFKB/WDAC is that WDAC is in the radio business, and has been one of the most successful Christian stations in the country ratings-wise. With all of the upgrades in equipment in the Boyertown studios that Nassau invested in a couple of years ago, is there any chance that WDAC would want to take WFKB back (assuming the Nassau financing fails) and, if they didn't bring back 107.5 Alive or simulcast, maybe use the opportunity to try their HOPE 94.5-HD2 format of more contemporary Christian music on regular FM where more people could hear it?

 

[rdcuffpa1]

However...The difference between GE/Airlines and WFKB/WDAC is that WDAC is in the radio business, and has been one of the most successful Christian stations in the country ratings-wise. With all of the upgrades in equipment in the Boyertown studios that Nassau invested in a couple of years ago, is there any chance that WDAC would want to take WFKB back (assuming the Nassau financing fails) and, if they didn't bring back 107.5 Alive or simulcast, maybe use the opportunity to try their HOPE 94.5-HD2 format of more contemporary Christian music on regular FM where more people could hear it?

Valid point, and your idea of making the 94.5-HD2 format mainstream on 107.5 is an interesting idea. However the WDAC folks already had done the analysis that it made more sense to do something different...

Richard in Allentown

 

[Rockin Rob]

However...The difference between GE/Airlines and WFKB/WDAC is that WDAC is in the radio business, and has been one of the most successful Christian stations in the country ratings-wise. With all of the upgrades in equipment in the Boyertown studios that Nassau invested in a couple of years ago, is there any chance that WDAC would want to take WFKB back (assuming the Nassau financing fails) and, if they didn't bring back 107.5 Alive or simulcast, maybe use the opportunity to try their HOPE 94.5-HD2 format of more contemporary Christian music on regular FM where more people could hear it?

Valid point, and your idea of making the 94.5-HD2 format mainstream on 107.5 is an interesting idea. However the WDAC folks already had done the analysis that it made more sense to do something different...

Richard in Allentown

Both good points, but WDAC could also turn around and sell/LMA 107.5 to a third party with a different idea/approach (and it seems that would be the more popular hope around here).

 

[InTheBiz]

any new news on this? i mean actual NEWS, not speculation. The Nov. 30th buy-out date is long gone and the latest LMA extension I heard was Dec. 22nd. I'm wondering if there's been an official extension worked out during this slow news cycle during the holidays or if it's truly "day to day."