EMF acquires WTSS Buffalo and WLFP Memphis from Audacy

[MWmetalhead]

Combined selling price: $15.5 million.

Star 102.5 is a 100 kW signal with great ratings in Buffalo. If that brand vanishes, it's a testament to the horrible state of affairs of the AM/FM ecosystem.

[Deleted User 15835]

EMF acquired 89.9fm from Family Radio just a couple years ago, so my guess is Air1 goes to 89.9fm, 102.5 WTSS(The Star Station) get K-love. Star was always a fairly high rated station if I remember correctly so apparently that has not changed. Didn't see this one coming.

The Memphis station I know nothing about.

[zzand]

I was under the impression that Audacy was having financial issues and if so selling stations makes sense.

[MWmetalhead]

They definitely are incurring financial issues thanks to their heavy debt load and flat to declining EBITDA.

[audiophile]

Combined selling price: $15.5 million.

Star 102.5 is a 100 kW signal with great ratings in Buffalo. If that brand vanishes, it's a testament to the horrible state of affairs of the AM/FM ecosystem.

That's a really high price.

[MWmetalhead]

It's certainly on the high side (no wonder Audacy sold). There are rumors that EMF may also be acquiring rights to use the K-Love trademark in DFW, too.

It's unclear to me how reliable the WTSS signal is in the Greater Toronto area. The TX site is on the wrong side of Buffalo to deliver rock solid coverage to Southern Ontario, but Lake Erie might help in terms of signal propagation.

[radioandtventhusiast]

Here in Toledo, I've actually received WTSS during some of the biggest tropo times.

[ftballfan]

In Memphis, Audacy will move the Wolf format from 94.1 to 99.7, which runs grandfathered power (300kW)

[Marcus]

The signal exists, but RF intermodulation is severe in Downtown Toronto. The ERP and the signal strength of many of those FM broadcasts is higher than what you encounter in Downtown Chicago. You also need selectivity to reject interference from 102.1 The Edge, and 102.7 East FM in Scarborough. The best reception on that side of Lake Ontario will range from about Oakville to Etobicoke (West side of Toronto).
One part of Ontario that will not be overlooked by EMF is St. Catharines and the Niagara Peninsula as the combined population is now close to 480,000 residents.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_ ... of_Niagara

[cckadlec]

Combined selling price: $15.5 million.

Star 102.5 is a 100 kW signal with great ratings in Buffalo. If that brand vanishes, it's a testament to the horrible state of affairs of the AM/FM ecosystem.

110kw actually, and in the high hills at that. They get out well and it's a big win for EMF. Sad day for Buffalo and the future of any other popular high-powered station that you'd think would be immune to being sold off to EMF.

[ChrisWL1980]

And the changes in Memphis continue... Q107.5 has been resurrected as an Adult Top 40, after three years of Classic Hits on WHBQ.

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2515 ... adult-chr/

[ChrisWL1980]

And the changes continue, with 101.9 Kiss FM and Rock 103 swapping frequencies. Kiss shifts to Hot AC and Rock 103 (102.7) becomes Rock 102 in the process.
https://radioinsight.com/headlines/2517 ... UQfb_SNJOA

[Rich S]

I listened to the sign off on YouTube. Great job done by Rob Casey. The “T antenna” thing resonated with me- I remember picking up the former WMJQ in Troy one Saturday evening. I started to think- why couldn’t some random millionaire step in and save these frequencies? Then I woke up to something more concerning- selling off to religious broadcasters makes the most sense. If you aren’t leaving the market altogether, the last thing you want to do is sell to someone that could compete with one of your other crappy FM stations in the market.

The other thing that crossed my mind was how a sale like this could be good for the community? Only mention because it is hard for me to believe that a niche format with few listeners being placed on a high powered FM station can really be for the good of the community. Maybe the FCC doesn’t care?

[MWmetalhead]

K-Love pulls 3 shares and 4 shares in some markets, and even draws close to a 2 share in the Los Angeles market. Not sure I'd call Contemporary Christian music a "niche" format; its appeal can vary widely depending on the specific market being analyzed.

Buffalo is an over-radioed rust belt market. In addition to a decent assortment of in-market signals, about a half dozen Canadian FM signals with for-profit programming have good reception across nearly all the market. Many Toronto signals can be heard easily in the Niagara Falls region, too (that area can pick up an insane number of FM signals clearly).

[Graham Wellington]

The other thing that crossed my mind was how a sale like this could be good for the community? Only mention because it is hard for me to believe that a niche format with few listeners being placed on a high powered FM station can really be for the good of the community. Maybe the FCC doesn’t care?

You might have a point if any of these stations weren't airing some sort of bland corporate format playing the same shitty music over and over for years.