Thanks to a history of religious tolerance and photo-friendly churches, Charleston, S.C., earned the nickname “The Holy City.”
Serving this reverent radio market is a Class A that until now has aired a Black Gospel format targeting African American listeners.
This station is heading to a new owner, finally.
The original asset purchase agreement was struck in 2009.
On August 1, 2009, Kirkman Broadcasting — a locally owned entity led by Guilford M. Kirkman Jr. — entered into an LMA with Thomas B. Daniels that saw it effectively gain control of WJNI-FM 106.3.
The arrangement allowed Kirkman to outright purchase WJNI, and in March 2012 it decided to do so, filing paperwork with the FCC showing that Kirkman would be purchasing WJNI, licensed to Ladson, S.C., and WWIK-FM in McClellanville, S.C., for a combined price of $2.5 million.
Only, that didn’t happen.
In September 2016, WWIK — branded as “98.9 ESPN Charleston” — initiated the purchase of WWIK. It paid Daniels $1 million for the station, giving Kirkman its first FM to go alongside four AMs.
Then, in August 2018, one of those AMs — WJKB-AM 950, licensed to Moncks Corner, S.C., near the city of Charleston, was sold to Moody Bible Institute of Chicago for $425,000.
Now, Kirkman is en route to owning a two FM, three AM cluster, as it is finally moving forward with a plan to purchase WJNI.
The purchase price is $1.4 million — the same value as the original 2012 agreement called for. Kirkman has struck a promissory note with Daniels for the entire amount of the purchase price; terms were not disclosed.
Representing the seller as legal counsel is The Law Office of Dan J. Alpert.
The legal counsel for Kirkman is Nancy Ory of Lerman Senter.
In addition to ESPN Radio, Kirkman’s properties include “The City,” an Oldies format.
