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Williams Communications sells WFMH 95.5 FM

interesting....i find it curious after they were PAID to move it from cullman there was still debt. That's almost rediculously funny.

They must be running a charity station over there..
 
TALLRED said:
Hello everyone,

I just found this out on: http://www.rbr.com/radio/radio_transactions/19512.html . Walton Williams sold WFMH to TNT, Inc. for $121,000.

Their new website is www.big955.com
-Travis
Click to expand...

It's interesting to note that Williams has/had the calls for two stations which have since moved onto greener pastures: the former WHMA-FM which is now Atlanta's WNNX, and WFMH-FM (now Birmingham's WYDE-FM). I just realized, too, that the Williams stations both share the "Big" name, too. I suppose WFMH will be adopting a new name since it will no longer be owned by Williams.
 
They have a few sponsors, but their nighttime programming during christmas is less than perfect. I heard "Leroy the Redneck Reindeer" 7 times the other night while "guarding" Walmart in Hamilton.

-Travis
 
jay said:
interesting....i find it curious after they were PAID to move it from cullman there was still debt. That's almost rediculously funny.

They must be running a charity station over there..
Click to expand...

My memory is that there has been some financial turmoil in the Williams organization/family in recent years. The station in Hacklesburg could be a victim of it's market (or lack thereof) or there could be outside circumstances.

Having said that: WHAT IS THE MARKETPLACE of Hacklesburg? I haven't been there. I did review the Russellville market a few years back and walked away. Is Hacklesburg really a Russellville station, or is it a Hamilton station? Or do they fantasize that they are a Florence station?
 
What does WYDE fantacize it is i wonder? hee hee. if they'd GIVE it to me i could get better ratings out of it in my spare time... hee hee.
 
According to the coverage map on RL, they put a better signal into Hamilton. It looks like they broadcast to a bunch of trees mainly.
 
ALRocker said:
According to the coverage map on RL, they put a better signal into Hamilton. It looks like they broadcast to a bunch of trees mainly.
Click to expand...

They are more of a Hamilton station than Russellville. Their address according to the old website was either Highway 126 in Sulligent, ot Highway 129 in Brilliant. The new owner, whose last name is Hutcheson, has had a morning show for some time now on WFMH,and at one time, was on AM 920 WGOL in Russellville. FMH's morning program sounded like it was fed through a phone line, and I later found out it was. Maybe this station can do some good now. Personally, I feel that financially and listener wise, it would have been better for it to have stayed in Cullman. It was bought by Williams for 2.4 million, and sold for 150K, so that's only a 2+ million dollar debt ;D

-Travis
 
TALLRED said:
ALRocker said:
According to the coverage map on RL, they put a better signal into Hamilton. It looks like they broadcast to a bunch of trees mainly.
Click to expand...

They are more of a Hamilton station than Russellville. Their address according to the old website was either Highway 126 in Sulligent, ot Highway 129 in Brilliant. The new owner, whose last name is Hutcheson, has had a morning show for some time now on WFMH,and at one time, was on AM 920 WGOL in Russellville. FMH's morning program sounded like it was fed through a phone line, and I later found out it was. Maybe this station can do some good now. Personally, I feel that financially and listener wise, it would have been better for it to have stayed in Cullman. It was bought by Williams for 2.4 million, and sold for 150K, so that's only a 2+ million dollar debt ;D

-Travis
Click to expand...
For that 2.4 million they also got AM 1340 and AM 1460 here in Cullman. 1460 has been off for 2 months or so. I don't know what's up with that.
 
For that 2.4 million they also got AM 1340 and AM 1460 here in Cullman. 1460 has been off for 2 months or so. I don't know what's up with that.
[/quote]

I stopped by the deserted WFMH/WMCJ studios last month and asked Josh Grant the same question. WMCJ is still using their original (the old 1460 FMH xmtr from the 50's) refridgerator sized transmitter, and it keeps on having components burn out on it. Even during the last few weeks of broadcasting, their signal was not at full power. Btw, WFMH FM is streaming online. Mostly a mix of about 60% older/40% newer. I say give people in that area jobs in radio, or if it's gonna be nothing but automated playlists just go ahead and throw in a satellite format and give the area some seasoned radio talent.
 
TALLRED said:
For that 2.4 million they also got AM 1340 and AM 1460 here in Cullman. 1460 has been off for 2 months or so. I don't know what's up with that.
Click to expand...

I stopped by the deserted WFMH/WMCJ studios last month and asked Josh Grant the same question. WMCJ is still using their original (the old 1460 FMH xmtr from the 50's) refridgerator sized transmitter, and it keeps on having components burn out on it. Even during the last few weeks of broadcasting, their signal was not at full power. Btw, WFMH FM is streaming online. Mostly a mix of about 60% older/40% newer. I say give people in that area jobs in radio, or if it's gonna be nothing but automated playlists just go ahead and throw in a satellite format and give the area some seasoned radio talent.
[/quote]They sure aren't at full power, I can't hear them across town. I'd just shut it down until a new transmitter could be put in place. Also, does Williams still have 1340 and 1460 or did the sale to Jimmy Dale go through?
 
Think about it guys. 95.5.....The Willlams' were paid to move the station out of Cullman. Cox is moving 95.5 The Beat closer to Atlanta.....they already got their money.
 
theradiopro said:
Think about it guys. 95.5.....The Willlams' were paid to move the station out of Cullman. Cox is moving 95.5 The Beat closer to Atlanta.....they already got their money.
Click to expand...

I'm hesitant to repeat things that are rumors and gossip, but now that the radiopro has brought up the subject, look at the history of transactions by Williams over the last 10 years or so and see how many properties they bought that then made very convenient moves of transmitters.... convenient for folks like Cox.

Things that make you say.... Hhmmmmmmmmm.
 
ALRocker said:
They sure aren't at full power, I can't hear them across town. I'd just shut it down until a new transmitter could be put in place. Also, does Williams still have 1340 and 1460 or did the sale to Jimmy Dale go through?
Click to expand...

The williams sale to Jimmy Dale Burgess went through with WFMH 1340. In fact, The slogan has changed from "News Talk 1340" to "Sports Talk 1340." I believe the sale with 1460 also went through. WMCJ has been off air for about two months. Back when they were still on the power was significantly lower. However, I doubt anyone listens to 1340, considering Dave Ramsey can be heard on 101.1 FM, and considering Paul Finebaum can also be heard on 94.5 FM. Until they actually diversify the programming on 1340 I'm surprised the station hasn't fell under.

-Travis
 
theradiopro said:
Walt Williams is the former Program Director of Cox owned WSB.
Click to expand...

As fancy folk would say, "the plot thickens!" Didn't Williams own, or purchase, Real Country 95.5 WASZ in Ashland, and move it further from the GA line towards anniston, to rename it WHMA, which was originally moved across the GA line? Also, did Cox own 95.7 Jamz when they moved closer to Birmingham, when WFMH moved to the west to be further away from the Bhm area?

If my two assumptions are correct, is it just me or is everytime a Williams station moves, it benefits a Cox station?

-Travis
 
Is this true ? An Fm station that went for over 2 million and now sold for a little over $ 100,000. I understand there were two AM involved in the first transaction but the value is primarily in FM.

Is this an Arbitron rated market? Anyone have an idea what the population count might be approximately?

Also, does anyone know of any other FMs that be going under priced like this one?

thanks! josh
 
josh said:
Is this true ? An Fm station that went for over 2 million and now sold for a little over $ 100,000. I understand there were two AM involved in the first transaction but the value is primarily in FM.

Is this an Arbitron rated market? Anyone have an idea what the population count might be approximately?

Also, does anyone know of any other FMs that be going under priced like this one?

thanks! josh
Click to expand...

The two AM's, WFMH 1340 and WMCJ 1460, sold last year for somewhere around either $375K or $450K. The AM's are still in Cullman, which is in the Birmingham market. WFMH FM is now about 60 miles NW with the closest city being Hamilton, a city with only about 6,000 residents. The area 95.5 is in is very rural, and the eastern half of the coverage area being in Bankhead Nat'l Forest.
It is not really in any market, but the closest market would probably be Tupelo, MS, approx 50 miles southwest.

For almost 50 years, it was a small town station on 101.1 with a massave coverage area, then about 12 years ago moved to 95.5 with a smaller coverage area covering Cullman, Arab, and Oneonta. About 5 years ago it made its final move. This time, it truly is in the middle of nowhere.

-Travis
 
To make a long story short, it was done so 95.7 Jamz could move from Tuscaloosa to Midfield/BHAM.
 
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