Cumulus/Townsquare: What’s in the shopping cart

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SoldWe know that 65 stations in 13 markets are moving in the cash/swap deal arranged between Cumulus Media and Townsquare Media, not to mention a nine-figure cash total. We also have an idea which stations are moving.


For Cumulus, in addition to liquidating assets for cash in exchange for what it calls non-strategic assets, it adds to its holdings in small market Illinois. It already has an operation going in Rockford, and in the multi-state Mississisippi River Quad Cities market. In addition to $116M, Cumulus receives the following:

Bloomington IL
Arbitron Rank: 233
WBNQ-FM Bloomington IL 101.5 B
WJEZ-FM Dwight IL 98.9 A
WBWN-FM Le Roy IL 104.1 B1
WOBC-AM Pontiac IL 93.7 B1
WOBC-FM Bloomington IL1230 C

Peoria IL
Arbitron Rank: 154
WGLO-FM Pekin IL 95.5 B1
WFYR-FM Elmwood IL 97.3 B1
WIXO-FM Peoria IL 105.7 B
WZPW-FM Peoria IL 92.3 B1
WVEL-AM Pekin IL 1140 D

Townsquare picks up stations in New England, the upper Midwest, the deep South, Texas and Colorado.

It will have some decisions to make in at least one Texas market: It already owns and operates three stations in Odessa-Midland, and is picking up seven from Cumulus – something will definitely have to go. It is also possible that some of the clusters being transferred my be grandfathered and will lose that status when sold.

Other highlights of the deal for Townsquare:

* Going back to Texas, Townsquare is active in 10 small markets, and in addition to adding more stations in Odessa-Midland it will add a new market: Killeen-Temple.

* New England stations in Massachusetts and Maine will build on Townsquare’s presence in New York and New Jersey.

* Clusters in North and South Dakota will nestle in between holdings in Minnesota to the east and Montana and Wyoming to the West.

* Grand Junction will be the group’s second Colorado market, joining Fort Collins.

* The Alabama cluster, serving Tuscaloosa, is the least obvious fit for the group, which is however active in Louisiana and Arkansas (although in that state, its Texarkana cluster is a good fit with its Texas holdings).

Here’s what Townsquare picks up:

Killeen-Temple TX
Arbitron Rank: 145
KLTD-FM Temple TX 101.7 C3
KOOC-FM Belton TX 106.3 C3
KSSM-FM Copperas Cove TX 103.1 C3
KTEM-AM Temple TX 1400 C
KUSJ-FM Harker Heights TX 105.5 C2

New Bedford-Fall River MA
Arbitron Rank: 177
WBMS-AM New Bedford MA 1420 B
WFHN-FM Fairhaven MA 107.1 A

Odessa-Midland TX
Arbitron Rank: 178
KBAT-FM Monahans TX 99.9 C1
KGEE-FM Pecos TX 97.3 A
KMND-AM Midland TX 15D10
KNFM-FM Midland TX 92.3 C
KODM-FM Odessa TX 97.9 C1
KRIL-AM Odessa TX 1410 B
KZBT-FM Midland TX 93.3 C1
* Townsquare already owns three FMs in this market

Binghamton NY
Arbitron Rank: 181
WAAL-FM Binghamton NY 99.1  B
WHWK-FM Binghamton NY 98.1 B
WNBF-AM Binghamton NY 1290 B
WWYL-FM Chenango Bridge NY 104.1 A
WYOS-AM Binghamton NY 1360 B

Tuscaloosa AL
Arbitron Rank: 216
WBEI-FM Reform AL 101.7 C2
WDGM-FM Greensboro AL 99.1 C3
WFFN-FM Coaling AL 95.3 C2
WTSK-AM Tuscaloosa AL 790 D
WTUG-FM Northport AL 92.9 C1

Bangor ME
Arbitron Rank: 217
WBZN-FM Old Town ME 107.3 C2
WDEA-AM Ellsworth ME 137 B0
WEZQ-FM Bangor ME 92.9 B
WQCB-FM Brewer ME 106.5 C
WWMJ-FM Ellsworth ME 95.7 B

Augusta-Waterville ME
Arbitron Rank: 260
WEBB-FM Waterville ME 98.5 C1
WJZN-AM Augusta ME 1400 C
WMME-FM Augusta ME 92.3 B
WTVL-AM Waterville ME 1490 C

Grand Junction CO
Arbitron Rank: 248
KBKL-FM Grand Junction CO
KEKB-FM Fruita CO
KDBN-FM Parachute CO
KEXO-AM Grand Junction CO
KKNN-FM Delta CO
KMXY-FM Grand Junction CO

Bismarck, ND
Arbitron Rank: 267
KACL-FM Bismarck ND 98.7 C1
KBYZ-FM Bismarck ND 96.5 C1
KKCT-FM Bismarck ND 97.5 C1
KLXX-AM Bismarck-Mandan ND 1270 B
KUSB-FM Hazelton ND 103.3 C1

Sioux Falls SD
Arbitron Rank: unrated
KDEZ-FM Brandon SD 100.1 A
KIKN-FM Salem SD 100.5 C1
KKLS-FM Sioux Falls SD 104.7 C1
KMXC-FM Sioux Falls SD 97.3 C1
KSOO-AM Sioux Falls SD 1140 B
KSOO-FM Lennox SD 99.1 C3
KXRB-AM Sioux Falls SD 100D0
KYBB-FM Canton SD 102.7 C2

Presque Isle ME
Arbitron Rank: unrated
WBPW-FM Presque Isle ME 96.9 C1
WOZI-FM Presque Isle ME 101.9 C2
WQHR-FM Presque Isle ME 96.1 C