As September ended, RBR+TVBR shared the news that an AM/FM combo serving a small community on the western slopes of New York’s Catskill Mountains were poised for a resurrection, after Townsquare Media shuttered them. Bold Gold Media Group had acquired the properties. Now, the company led by Vince Benedetto has formally taken over the radio stations.
A relaunch of WDLA-AM & FM in Walton, N.Y., has come, bringing the stations back on the air following their closure by their former owner for economic reasons.
As expected, WDLA-FM, formerly “92.1 The Big Cat,” has become a sibling to WHNB-FM 104.5 in Hancock, a simulcast of Country WDNB-FM “Thunder 102” in Jeffersonville. WDLA-AM is the lone local AM station licensed for lower Delaware County, and it is today part of Bold Gold’s regional network “Catskills News Talk,” heard on another AM and two FM signals in the region.
“There is something truly special about turning the lights back on for a local radio station,” said Bold Gold Media NY Region General Manager Dawn Ciorciari. “We are beyond excited to bring local radio back to life for the people of Walton and Delaware County; to once again give this community a local voice, a source of connection, and radio stations they can call their own.”
With Emilie de Lozier at Wilkinson Barker Knauer serving as the legal representative for Townsquare and Mark Denbo of Smithwick & Belendiuk handling the legal needs for Benedetto-led Bold Gold, publicly traded Townsquare accepted a $50,000 payment for the silent stations.
The deal was consummated on September 15, with a 10% deposit made to Townsquare.
Serving as the broker in the transaction is George Reed of Media Services Group, representing Townsquare Media.
Bold Gold now owns and operates 17 full-power radio stations and 27 total broadcast frequencies across New York and Pennsylvania.
