In July 2023 RBR+TVBR shared details of how a FM radio station allowed to relocate to the Portland, Ore., market failed to do so after an attempt to sell it for $1.5 million fizzled. Then came a Petition to Deny its license renewal, on the grounds that the station was broadcasting from an unauthorized site. This, and other FCC rule violations, led to the deletion of the KYTE-FM call letters and cancellation of the station’s license.
Now, the licensee of that now-deceased facility has ushered in 2024 by ceasing all operations.
As first reported by Streamline Publishing’s Radio Ink, Yaquina Bay Communications on Monday closed its doors for good. It marks the end of a difficult six-month period for the licensee, which owned and operated KNPT-AM and KNCU-FM “U92” in Newport, KBCH-AM and KCRF-FM in Lincoln City, and KWDP-AM in Waldport, Ore.
But, the troubles for Yaquina Bay date back to the end of 2017, when Media Services Group was hired by company head David Miller to help with the sale of KYTE, which possessed a Construction Permit allowing it to move to a tower atop Bald Mountain. This would have made KYTE a Portland-market station, rather than having the Independence, Ore.-licensed FM primarily serve Eugene and Springfield, Ore.
Generator issues prohibited a move to Bald Mountain for KYTE. As such, it requested to use the KCRF tower temporarily. The FCC said yes. But, Yaquina Bay ended up keeping KYTE’s transmitter there for some three years after time ran out to make the move to Bald Mountain. Despite Miller’s arguments, including financial constraints, the Audio Division of the Media Bureau, led by Al Shuldiner, killed KYTE.
Following this decision, Yaquina Bay’s operations went into a tailspin. In August, a foreclosure came for the business after Oregon Coast Bank initiated a lawsuit seeking recovery of outstanding loan balances in the amount of roughly $532,000, initially drawn in 2009 and in 2016.
With the fate of Yaquina Bay’s stations in the hands of a county sheriff, a liquidation sale was held by the sheriff’s office on December 5, 2023. The sole bidder? Oregon Coast Bank, which grabbed the station’s office and studios and two broadcast towers. Miller worked with the creditor to keep the stations on the air through December 31. And, the bank did — until Monday.
Today, eight full-time and part-time employees are seeking reemployment insurance, as local media reported they learned of their job losses through an e-mail sent by Miller.
Meanwhile, in an August 2023 interview Miller shared with YachatsNews that he wished to retire and spend time with his family — even as his radio group began to wither.
