On October 2, 2019, Sinclair Telecable officially acquired all of Emmis Communications’ 50.1% controlling stake in six Austin, Tex. radio stations and two FM translators in the Lone Star State’s capital.
The transaction gave Bob and David Sinclair full control of properties now operating as Waterloo Media, leaving its Sinclair Communications arm the licensee of stations in its home market of Norfolk, and in the heart of Northern California’s Wine Country.
Now, the Sinclair family is saying goodbye to the Golden State.
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B.C. Radio LLC, a newly formed entity headed by Ravi Potharlanka, has agreed to acquire the following stations from Sinclair Telecable for $3.3 million:
- Class A KSXY-FM 100.9 “The 101” in Forestville, Calif., which calls itself a “Modern Alternative” station and has a signal covering Santa Rosa and points north to southern Mendocino County. Its southern signal contour is limited and does not cover much of Napa County’s primary wine-producing towns.
- Class A KXTS-FM “Exitos 98.7,” licensed to Geyserville, Calif., and broadcasting with the same signal contour as KSXY. Its format isn’t Spanish Contemporary: On Wednesday morning, Exitos was playing a Cumbia record from 1997; afternoons feature the Entravision-syndicated Erazno y la Chokolata entertainment program.
- Class A KRSH-FM 95.9 “The Krush,” licensed to Healdsburg, Calif., and using the same signal contour as both KSXY and KXTS. It airs a gold-based Adult Alternative/Americana format.
- KSXY-HD2, which uses K238AF at 95.5 MHz in Santa Rosa for a wide-ranging Spanish Contemporary/Adult Hits presentation under the “Latino 95.5” name.
B.C. Radio will also take over Sinclair’s LMA agreement allowing it to operate an additional Class A using the same Geyser Peak tower and signal contour as KSXY, KXTS and KRSH: JYH Broadcasting’s Adult Hits KNOB-FM “Bob FM 96.7.”
All of the stations’ audio streams are powered by Triton Digital.
Word of the transaction was distributed early Wednesday (2/3) by Greg Guy of Patrick Communications, the exclusive broker in this transaction.
Closing is expected to be swift, and is anticipated to occur in April.
Who is Ravi Potharlanka? He describes himself as a Telecom, Media, and Technology executive and investor who earned a Harvard Business School MBA in 1997.
From 2011-2019, he was President/CEO and co-founder of LocusPoint Networks.
For a decade before that, he was COO of FiberTower.
Now, the UC Davis graduate with an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering is entering radio station ownership.
Potharlanka says, “Sinclair Telecable built an incredible franchise by serving the community — both advertisers and listeners — in the Wine Country area. It is a great example of how focused local media companies continue to be relevant to the communities they serve.”
He confirms that the current employee roster won’t be adjusted upon closing.
“The team, which will transition as part of the acquisition, is top-notch and the content they produce is world class,” Potharlanka notes.
Sinclair has owned the California stations since 2001.
“Leaving Wine Country behind is bittersweet for us,” says Ryan Sinclair, who serves as Controller of Sinclair Telecable. “We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past twenty years.”
Debbie Morton, who will continue as General Manager for the Wine Country FMs, adds, “The team looks forward to working with new owners who are local to the greater Bay Area with roots in the community. I am pleased that this transition is happening.”
The Sinclair stations are operating on a new tower, after the previous one was destroyed in the 2019 Kincade Fire.
