Educational Media Foundation (EMF) in late September gained a significant presence in the Golden State when it agreed to acquire KSWD-FM 100.3 “The Sound” in Los Angeles and KSOQ-FM 92.1 in the northern San Diego County city of Fallbrook from Entercom as part of a three-station deal valued at $57,750,000.
The City by the Bay was not noted, as EMF already owns a Class B covering the Bay Area that airs its Christian AC KLOVE network. Yet, EMF has just secured a translator covering San Francisco for KLOVE, along with a Class A along Highway 1. Is another deal in play, and could it involve a company set to gain Bay Area spin-offs from Entercom or CBS Radio?
Earlier this month there was some speculation that EMF — the giant Christian Contemporary Music noncomm operator behind the KLOVE and Air1 formats enabled to obtain a FCC Home Studio Waiver with every purchase it makes — may consider one of the four properties in San Francisco that are being sold by CBS Radio and Entercom in order for their mega-merger to pass muster with FCC regarding its local ownership limits.
That’s because CBS Radio on Oct. 10 revealed via a staff memo sent by President/CEO Andre Fernandez that the company is parting ways with KMVQ-FM 99.7 in San Francisco, while Entercom will be selling San Francisco-licensed KBLX-FM and KOIT-FM, in addition to KUFX-FM in San Jose.
With a Nov. 17 merger date expected for CBS Radio and Entercom, many believe KMVQ will go to Hubbard Radio, in addition to KUFX; KUFX could then be swapped with Alpha Media for another station, perhaps in another market, one market observer notes.
Meanwhile, there’s a lot of chatter about Bonneville International getting KOIT-FM, a heritage AC Bonneville owned until January 2007, when it swapped it to — ironically — Entercom in order to gain entry into Seattle and Cincinnati.
KBLX remains the wild card, but EMF is likely not getting it.
That’s all thanks to a deal filed Monday (10/23) with the Commission that sees EMF acquiring 43 watt Class A noncomm KRSA-FM 89.3 in Moss Beach, Calif., and its all-important 10 watt FM Translator — K277CH at 103.3 MHz in San Francisco — from Educational Public Radio and Broadcast Towers Inc., respectfully.
KRSA’s signal covers the coastal area south of San Francisco along Highway 1, separated by a mountain from the area between Colma and San Mateo.
As seen in the map on the right, the translator is much more valuable than the Class A FM it is simulcasting, and that’s reflected in the asset purchase agreement: EMF is paying $389,000 for K277CH, and $25,000 for KRSA.
An escrow payment of $20,700 has been placed with WashingtonFirst Bank, representing the sellers.
With the transaction, KRSA and K277CH on Monday (10/23) immediately adopted the Christian AC KLOVE network. KRSA and K277CH had been branded as “Relax 103.3,” airing an AC format.
It’s a big boost for EMF in its home DMA, as KLOVE originates from Class B KLVR-FM 91.9 in Middletown, Calif. — located in the heart of Northern California’s wildfire-ravaged region.
KLVR’s signal fades immediately upon reaching the East Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.
But, it’s been using K205BM at 88.9 MHz on Grizzly Peak to beam a signal from Oakland into San Francisco.
Additionally, KLOVE has been using a Class B in Livermore, Calif. — KLVS-FM 107.3 — to reach the Bay Area. The station is owned by San Joaquin Broadcasting Company, a subsidiary of EMF.
This station, according to Radio-Locator.com maps, enjoys a formidable signal over all of San Francisco and much of the Bay Area.
Thus, why is EMF acquiring KRSA and K277CH? Could KLVS be in play, with a potential suitor tied to the CBS/Entercom spin-offs? Or, is the infamous hilly terrain of the Bay Area limiting the KLVS signal from penetrating the city of San Francisco, thus explaining the addition of KRSA and K277CH?
The answer could come in a matter of days.
San Joaquin acquired KLVS in November 2010 for $10 million from LaRue Family LP (81.7% owner) and Annette LaRue (18.3% owner). The station formerly known as KSTN-FM has been airing the KLOVE Network since Dec. 2009; an LMA began Feb. 2010 ahead of the station sale’s closing.
Meanwhile, Air1 can be heard in San Francisco via FM translator K281BU, an 80-watt facility at 104.1 MHz situated among the market’s main Radio Road towers just east of Daly City and Colma.
