Youngstown Radio Owners To Sell Station To California Group

[Towntalk]

LICENSED TO YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO

Clear Channel

WKBN
WAKZ
WBBG
WMXY
WNCO
WNIO


Cumulus Media

WHOT
WQXK
WBBW

[Cumulus has several other stations in this market that are licensed to other cities and not included in this list.]

[Towntalk]

That's true, only two local stations are locally owned ... the Struthers High station and WYSU.

Of all the stations ... some 14 in all most are owned by conglomerates and only one has its own news staff (WKBN) which it shares with the other Clear Channel stations.




WYSU 88.1 FM
WKTL 90.7 FM
WYTN 91.7 FM
WNCD 93.3 FM
WMXY 98.9 FM
WHOT 101.1 FM
WRBP 101.9 FM
WBBG 106.1 FM

WKBN 570 AM
WBBW 1240 AM
WGFT 1330 AM
WNIO 1390 AM
WASN 1540 AM
WANR 1570 AM

[Rick Rowlands]

Its sometimes cheaper to buy an existing station than it is to start one from scratch. 

[Towntalk]

I checked out some of the K-LOVE and Air1 stations and you're right that the stations apparently will not have any local programming. They are listed as "non-commercial" so apparently they won't even need a sales staff.

[irishbobcat]

Basically, you don't even need a "program" director since the programming will be coming via the internet or micro dish on the roof....
The programming is already produced and delivered to all 245 stations....

So, all you really need is a sales manager, some sales people, an engineer, and maybe someone to voice local commericals...

[Towntalk]

Good point. Aside from the engineers and a small sales staff (assuming they will run commercials) and a manager/program director, they wouldn't even need announcers since the engineer could fill the bill. Will they have any local programs?  BTW the PD could even fill in announcing spots.

It's truly sad the way radio has gone but most of it can be blamed on the listening public. The listeners are the final arbiter on what is aired.

Also, WRBP; WASN and WGFT aren't locally owned stations, but are owned by Bernard Radio out of Columbus.

[irishbobcat]

No doubt the new owners will pipe in their national syndicated programming via the internet and such.....

I wonder how many local announcers and employees will now be let go by the station?

[Towntalk]

It's really sad that of all the commercial radio and TV stations in the Youngstown market, only WFMJ - 21 is locally owned.

[Towntalk]

K-LOVE

http://www.klove.com/


Air1

http://www.air1.com/

[irishbobcat]

Just last month Youngstown City Council gave a citation to local radio group Bernard Radio...JAMZ 101.9 fm for being local and providing a community serivce....now Bernard Radio is selling the license to folks from California....

UPDATE 6/13/12 7:06 PM: The Asset Purchase Agreement (PDF) for Bernard Radio's WRBP/101.9 Hubbard says that Educational Media Foundation will pay $500,000 for the Youngstown market station...


Can City Council ask for the resolution and plaque back?


WRBP TO EMF: Just under a month ago, Bernard Radio urban WRBP/101.9 Hubbard "JAMZ 101.9″ was presented a resolution by the Youngstown City Council for its service to the community.

WYTV/33 reports from May 16th:
 
 

The resolution was in recognition of continued success in the urban format, and for keeping the radio station highly rated, profitable and on the air in Youngstown.

Well, for a few weeks longer, at least.

Bernard Radio has filed with the FCC to sell WRBP/101.9 to Educational Media Foundation, the California parent of the "K-Love" and "Air 1″ Christian music networks.

Long-time readers know that EMF currently owns one other station in the Youngstown market, rimshot WLVX/107.1 Greenville PA...which it bought along with other Pennsylvania outposts of Beacon Broadcasting. EMF later sold WLOA/1470 Farrell PA and WGRP/940 Greenville PA to Meadville PA-based Vilkie Communications, owner of classic hits WMVL/101.7 Linesville PA "Cool 101.7″.

We have no idea how EMF plans to handle its operations in the Youngstown market.

Presumably, one of the two stations will run the "K-Love" format and one will run the "Air 1″ format...we don't know if they'll move "K-Love" to the more centrally located 101.9 signal, or if "Air 1″ will be planted there.

Bernard Radio still owns (for now) oldies WGFT/1330 Campbell "Oldies 1330″ and urban talk WASN/1500 Youngstown.