SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF. — In January 2023, the sale of a digital full-power television station serving this Central Coast city was agreed to. The intended buyer was the Maxwell Agha-led International Communications Network Inc.
Now, RBR+TVBR has learned that the $4 million transaction has resulted in a non-consummation. And, there’s a new owner on the way thanks to a fresh deal that involves brokerage Kalil & Co. — it is an individual who already has a low-power TV facility in the market.
KTAS-TV, which is licensed and silent and may use digital channel 34 — with a PSIP of 33 — in San Luis Obispo, is now being sold by Consuelo Palazuelos to Major Market Broadcasting.
That’s the Ravi Kapur-led licensee who is a former KGO-7 reporter and the individual behind the creation of America’s first-ever 24/7 South Asian-targeted television network, Diya TV.
Details regarding the deal terms between Palazuelos, the widow of immigration attorney Raul Palazuelos, were shared via a filing with the FCC made on Tuesday. The seller is the Palazuelos 2023 Revocable Trust.
Kapur is paying $550,00 for KTAS. A 10% deposit is being held by Kalil & Co., which represented the seller in this transaction.
Why the discrepancy between the price he’s agreed to and that of Agha? The now-scrapped deal had International Communications Network acquiring the studio and building for KTAS, located in Santa Maria. Kapur is only acquiring the transmission facility and licenses for KTAS.
With Commission approval, KTAS will be paired with K07AAN-D and K14TK-D in Santa Maria, Calif., low-power TV stations serving an area that includes the city of Lompoc and the “Five Cities” of southern San Luis Obispo County. They were acquired by Kapur in July from Jeff Winemiller-led Lowcountry 34 Media for $225,000.
KTAS-33 uses a transmitter atop Cuesta Peak and had been a Telemundo affiliate since 2001. That relationship ended in January 2023, with News-Press & Gazette Co. acquiring it and creating “Telemundo Costa Central.”
Joan Stewart of Wiley Law is the seller’s legal counsel. Dennis P. Corbett of Telecommunications Law Professionals PLLC represented Kapur.
