Kent Smith Sells Wyoming’s ‘Wheatland Radio’

It’s a small city nestled on the east side of Interstate 25 between Casper and Cheyenne, and just south of popular destinations like Fort Laramie National Historic Site. Here, one can find a Class C AM with an FM translator and a Class A FM sibling. Soon, they’ll be under new ownership, as Kent Smith has agreed to part ways with “Wheatland Radio.”

Smith, selected in 2023 as the Wyoming Sportscaster of the Year and inducted into the Wyoming broadcasters Hall of Fame, will be concluding his 46th year in radio broadcasting by selling KYCN-AM 1340 and its FM translator at 92.7 MHz and KZEW-FM 101.7 in Wheatland, Wyo.

The buyer is Malcolm Ervin-led MBE Studios Inc., a 50/50 partnership between him and Bailey Ervin. The Ervins are locally based, and Malcolm Ervin serves as Platte County, Wyo.’s 12th County Clerk, elected to the role in November 2018.

MBE is paying $425,000 for the radio stations, licensed to Smith Broadcasting Inc. A $10,000 deposit has been paid, with an additional $15,000 due at closing. The remaining balance of $400,000 will be honored by a Promissory Note with amortized monthly payments of $4,166.67 for a five-year period. At that point, interest of 5% will be enforced, increasing the monthly payments for the subsequent three years to $4,495.63.

This valuation includes the stations’ studios and offices, with one radio tower valued at $100,000; real property assessed at $250,000; and $75,000 assigned to goodwill and IP.