Jeanette Tully has moved another chunk of excess Clear Channel station inventory off the shelf, sending WKRD-FM to Southern Belle LLC. But don’t get used to calling the station WKRD-FM – the calls, format and other interesting items will remain in the possession of Clear Channel.
The station is currently simulcasting the Sports format of WKRD-AM Louisville – which is why the calls and format will not convey to the new owner. Clear Channel is also hanging on to all research studies, demographic data, sales correspondence, client lists and sales reports, among other items enumerated on a lengthier-than-usual excluded asset section of the contract.
That places the station squarely in the stick category, and its stick value in this case is $175K cash.
The buyer is presided over by Kristin Cantrell and is controlled by Judith M. Confer, Trustee of The Kristin Cantrell Family Trust. The principals are linked to the Forever Communications family of radio license companies, home to industry veterans Kerby Confer and Donald Alt.
Southern Belle recently acquired three Frankfort KY stations from one of the license operations, Forever South License LLC. The acquisition of WKYW-AM, WSTV-FM and WFKY-FM went in the books at $700K.
All three stations overlap WKRD, which is located between Frankfort and Louisville. The overlap is not great, however, at least insofar as primary contour coverage is concerned.
WKRD, home officially to Shelbyville KY with a Class A signal on 101.7 MHz licensed for 6 kW @ 328’, puts out a primary signal that doesn’t quite get into Louisville proper, but is nevertheless considered to be part of that market.