The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday granted the assignment of authorization application requesting its approval of a deal that will bring two FM radio stations along the Oregon coast back to life.
As first reported by RBR+TVBR in early April, KCRF-FM in Lincoln City and KNCU-FM in Newport were sold by Pacific West Broadcasting, parent of troubled operator Yaquina Bay Communications, to Xana Oregon.
The stations serve cities that are popular oceanside getaways for many who reside along the busy I-5 corridor between Eugene and Portland, Ore. However, the economics of running local radio stations did not prove successful for Yaquina Bay. It agreed to a $115,000 purchase price for KNCU and KCRF, with a $70,000 “cash advance” to be paid as the parties hoped the Commission would remove a “red light” status associated with Pacific West.
That has transpired, as the licensee’s status has changed to “green” at the FCC. With that, the remaining funds are be transferred to Pacific West by way of a $45,000 secured Promissory Note.
Serving as Xana’s broker of record in this transaction is MCH Enterprises Inc.
KCRF is licensed for 19.5kw at 1,152 feet above sea level and is presently dark; also dark is KNCU, licensed for 3.8kw at 1,109 feet above sea level.
The FMs went dark as 2024 started, ending a tough six-month period for Yaquina Bay, which also operated KNPT-AM in Newport, KBCH-AM in Lincoln City, and KWDP-AM in Waldport, Ore. Those stations also ceased operations after the company in August 2023 received a foreclosure notice. This came after Oregon Coast Bank initiated a lawsuit seeking recovery of outstanding loan balances in the amount of roughly $532,000, initially drawn in 2009 and in 2016.
With the fate of the stations tied to Yaquina Bay in the hands of a county sheriff, a liquidation sale was held by the sheriff’s office on December 5, 2023. The sole bidder? Oregon Coast Bank, which grabbed the station’s office and studios and two broadcast towers. Miller worked with the creditor to keep the stations on the air through December 31.
The Pacific West stations were held by a different party but operated by Yaquina Bay.
The troubles for Yaquina Bay date back to the end of 2017, when Media Services Group was hired by company head David Miller to help with the sale of KYTE-FM, a facility which possessed a Construction Permit allowing it to move to a tower atop Oregon’s Bald Mountain. This would have made KYTE a Portland-market station, rather than having the Independence, Ore.-licensed FM primarily serve Eugene and Springfield, Ore.
Generator issues prohibited a move to Bald Mountain for KYTE. As such, it requested to use the KCRF tower temporarily. The FCC said yes. But, Yaquina Bay ended up keeping KYTE’s transmitter there for some three years after time ran out to make the move to Bald Mountain. Despite Miller’s arguments, including financial constraints, the Audio Division of the Media Bureau, led by Al Shuldiner, killed KYTE.
