Connoisseur buying Buckley Hartford Radio Group

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ConnoisseurMediaConnoisseur Media and Buckley Broadcasting announced 3/5 that Connoisseur is purchasing the radio station group based in Hartford, CT. The stations include WDRC-AM/FM Hartford, CT; WMMW-AM Meriden, CT; WWCO-AM Waterbury, CT and WSNG-AM Torrington, CT.


Dick Foreman of Richard A. Foreman Associates, Inc. represented Buckley in the transaction. He tells RBR-TVBR: “The deal is compatible with Jeff Warshaw’s strategic northeast acquisition program and provides fill-in to his Long Island and Connecticut acquisitions.”

Joe Bilotta, Buckley President and CEO said in a letter to employees: “After much reflection, the Board of Trustees has decided that the reality of the evolving competitive landscape, and our sincere desire to see this historic brand continue, are cause for a change in the ownership of our Connecticut properties.”

“Our decision to negotiate with, and eventually sell WDRC AM/FM to Connoisseur gives our audience, advertisers and employees access to the considerable resources of this multi-dimensional media and entertainment company.  For over ½ of a century Buckley Broadcasting has been the steward of these great call letters and there is not a better company than Connoisseur to ensure the continued and accelerated future success of the WDRC brand.”

Buckley Radio currently owns 14 radio stations in 5 markets.

 BUCKLEY STATIONS SOLD TO CONNOISSEUR

Station                     Format and Freq.                     Power                      HAAT                      City of License

WDRC-AM              News/Talk  1360                        5k-D/N                    ==                            Hartford

WDRC-FM               Clsc Hits  102.9                       19.5k                       810’                         Hartford

WMMW (AM)         [WDRC-AM] 1470                  2.5-D/N                   ==                            Meriden

WSNG (AM)            [WDRC-AM] 610                    1k/.5                        ==                            Torrington

WWCO (AM)           [WDRC-AM] 1240                  1kw                         ==                            Waterbury

 

 

2 COMMENTS

  1. WDRC – Doolittle Radio Corporation – the Big D – the call letters have existed since 1925, and WDRC-FM is reputed to be America’s first FM station starting up in 1939. A CBS affiliate from 1930 through 1959, when Buckley/Jaeger purchased it from Mr. Doolittle and changed the format in August 1960 to Radio Fun – music and disc jockeys. I believe that Connoisseur will only be WDRC’s third owner in the station’s 90+ years of existence.

  2. Congratulations to Dick Foreman on this excellent transaction between two very fine radio broadcasters. This transaction confirms that radio transactions are beginning to open up after a 6 or more year disaster in trading. Hopefully the bankers will once again be part of radios continued growth as a very profitable investment.

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