In late March, RBR+TVBR first reported on the acquisition of a Class A FM serving an area of Western Pennsylvania between Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio, by Family Life Radio. Now, the broadcast ministry led by Rick Snavely has decided to spin the facility.
The buyer? It could very well bring Adult Alternative sounds to a bigger portion of the Steel City’s listening area.
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After 22 years, WKPL ended its Classic Hits “Pickle” branding with the debut of WCGF-FM on the 92.1 MHz facility licensed to Ellwood City, Pa. This was seen with FLR’s acquisition of the station (minus its intellectual property) from Forever Media in a $350,000 deal.
FLR has now flipped WCGF for a $375,000 sale price to Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corp., the licensee of NPR Members WYEP-FM, which airs an Adult Alternative/Progressive Rock format, and spoken word WESA-FM.
This will ensure that WCGF remains noncommercial, but will shift to secular programming after just a few short months serving Christian listeners.
An $18,750 earnest money deposit has been made to Family Life.
PCBC is led by Terry O’Reilly, and it used the legal services of Foster Garvey’s Brad Deutsch with the filing of its documents to the FCC for its regulatory approval.
FLR’s legal counsel is Joe Chautin III of Mandeville, La.-based Harey Carey Chautin & Balkin.
What are PCBC’s plans are for WCGF? O’Reilly tells RBR+TVBR that a simulcast of WESA-FM will transpire, as that station’s signal contour cannot reach key Western Pennsylvania communities within the Pittsburgh market.
