Radio and Television Transactions

Pending approval from the FCC, an Orange County, Calif.-based broadcast ministry will become the licensee of an FM radio station and four FM translators. The seller: One Ministries.

Mako Communications has attracted the attention of a variety of buyers for a collection of low-power TV station construction permits that hold a 2023 deadline for build-out. The latest buyer is a Hispanic-focused broadcast ministry with a number of television stations across the Pacific Northwest.

In February 2018, the founder of Lubbock-based radio and TV station owner Ramar Communications passed away. Today, his family continues to run Ramar, and it's growing — it is purchasing a future low-power TV station in the market from a company blessed with a unique set of construction permits.

Nearly three years ago, Franklyn and Melanie Müller began buying radio stations in Utah through their JJIE Corporation. Among these deals was a $100,000 transaction that saw the Mueller's acquire a then-silent FM and its AM sibling. Now, JJIE is spinning the stations.

As of today, three radio groups linked to the Board of Regents of the State of Iowa are the licensees of some 20 full-power AM and FM radio stations and seven FM translators. With the FCC's blessings, all 27 broadcast properties will become fully owned by Iowa Public Radio.

It has 19 watts of power from 2,021 feet, and serves Williamsport and Montoursville, Pa. Soon, it will be the latest FM translator station owned by Mountain Community Translators.

Cherry Creek Broadcasting is being acquired by Townsquare Media for $18.75 million. To make the deal happen, stations in Missoula, Mont., will be sold to Anderson Broadcasting and two non-profit entities: Legacy Broadcasting and Missoula Community Radio. Paperwork detailing two of those transactions has been submitted to the FCC.

He founded Oklahoma City-based SMN Investments in 1998, and across nearly a quarter century has made several investments in real estate, banking, media, oil and gas, and healthcare. Now, through his WPA Radio LLC, Stanton Nelson is shedding an AM serving Oklahoma's biggest market and an FM presently home to Oklahoma Catholic Broadcasting.

No longer needing an FM translator at 104.5 MHz with nearly full-metro coverage of Portland, Ore.,,Way Media and its COO, industry veteran Tim Dukes, have signed off on its sale. The buyer is another broadcast ministry.

It's the home for "ESPN Arkansas" and holds a construction permit for a 3,600-watt Class A FM reaching much of Northwest Arkansas, including Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville. Now, this FM and an FM translator serving Springdale are being spun by Rox Radio Group.

It's a Class D AM serving Valentine, Neb. And, this radio station is seeing a transfer of control from one couple to another couple through a stock purchase valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

A small broadcaster with TV stations in its home market of Salisbury-Ocean City, Md.; adjacent city Dover, Del.; Bowling Green, Ky.; Glenwood Springs, Colo.; and two Georgia markets has closed on its acquisition of a construction permit for a low-power television station in one of those markets — a move that bolsters its presence there.

As first reported in Streamline Publishing's Radio Ink, a Class C3 FM serving Tucson from the northwest that was once owned by Entravision Communications is being sold. It gives more revenue-generation options in the market for a Hispanic media pioneer that grew its presence in Southern Arizona by acquiring a FM station formerly owned by Scripps — and Bustos.

With ATSC 3.0 bringing Broadcast Internet and NEXTGEN TV opportunities, the company led in tandem by Hilton Howell Jr. and Pat LaPlatney has actively been seeking to secure full-DMA over-the-air coverage of its stations through these LPTV deals. The FCC has two more transactions it will need to approve.

With the 2021 passing of Pablo Colón, inducted into the Connecticut Broadcaster’s Association Hall of Fame in 2015, the AM and FM translator that's home to the Spanish-language operation based in Bridgeport, Conn., was placed into his estate. Now, his widow has filed paperwork at the Commission to become the executrix.