In mid-May, Chuck Williams — known in Indiana as an active owner and operator of radio stations — put a stake in the state immediately to the north, agreeing to purchase four stations in Michigan.
The deal has now closed, and has given birth to MediaBrew Communications’ newest cluster.
Great Lakes Radio Inc. has formally sold the following properties to Williams’ MediaBrew Communications for $2 million:
- Class C1 WFXD-FM 103.3 in Marquette, Mich.
- Class C2 WKQS-FM 101.9 in Negaunee, Mich.
- Class C3 WRUP-FM 98.3 in Palmer, Mich.
Also included in this deal are HD multicast stations associated with the properties and FM translators W291CJ (FX) Marquette, W260AG (FX) lshpeming, W248BU (FX) lshpeming, and W286BC (FX) in Marquette.
All of the stations serve the Marquette, Mich., market.
The purchase also includes various digital media assets including UPbargains.com and various client web-hosting services.
Serving as broker of record in the transaction is Will Cate at the Little Rock office of Media Services Group.
The Great Lakes properties are mediaBrew’s first acquisition. Williams formed the company in early 2019 as the vehicle to purchase and operate the Marquette stations.
“I’m excited to enter Michigan’s vibrant U.P. markets and to welcome the current Great Lakes Radio management team and staff into the mediaBrew Communications family,” Williams said. “This team has built such a wonderfully robust and active radio and media cluster. We are committed to helping these market-leading radio and media veterans build on their successes and their outstanding service to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.”
Great Lakes Radio Owner and President Todd Noordyk, who is also a long-time on-air personality in Marquette, is retiring. Great Lakes Radio and the Noordyk family are retaining WQXO-AM and one translator in Munising, as well as WRPP-FM in Manistique, Mich.
