Tune to 1590 kHz anywhere between Kenosha, Wisc., and Gary, Ind., and you’ll come across one of the more unique AM radio stations serving one of America’s largest cities. Its programming is a virtual cornucopia of niche spoken word programming, and its overnight offering is “Ambiente Clásico,” targeting Spanish speakers.
The individual associated with that program is now buying this Class B facility that uses 1 tower for 10kw during daylight hours and 4 towers for 2.5kw watts of power at night.
Jorge Rodriguez‘s Ambiente Clásico LLC, doing business as “WCGO – 1590 AM,” is going forward with a plan developed during the pandemic to purchase WCGO-AM 1590 in Evanston, Ill.
It is purchasing the property from Bill Pollack-owned Evanston Broadcasting, who has operated WCGO as a brokered station.
The purchase price for WCGO is $675,000. Interestingly, the asset purchase agreement submitted for FCC approval does not include WCGO’s FM translator, W240EH at 95.9 MHz.
However, the assignment page in the FCC’s LMS does note the translator is being transferred from Pollack’s group to that of Rodriguez; Pollack confirmed to RBR+TVBR via e-mail that the translator is included in the transaction. “Per the APA, there is a reference to the effect that ‘all other authorizations necessary for the station as presently operated,'” he said. “The translator is included in the FCC’s application’s list of broadcast authorizations to be conveyed.”
WCGO was acquired in May 2017 by Pollack from the Kovas Family Gst Trust for $3 million in a transaction brokered by Dick Foreman of Richard A. Foreman Associates. That was before the FM translator was born, with a license to cover in June 2022 following a November 2018 construction permit. And, based on the original FCC filing, W240EH and WCGO are linked “in perpetuity.”
Terms call for Rodriguez to make a $475,000 deposit, with delivery of the remaining $200,000 due at closing.
Serving as the seller’s legal counsel is Barry Wood of Wood & Maines.
