Lackluster full-week kickoff to 2015

The business of broadcasting definitely got off to a slow start in the first five-day work period of the year in terms of stocks and station trading. Stock prices did not do well, with very few exceptions, and station trading was minimal.

Denver deal leads the way
There was only one seven-figure transaction accepted for filing by the FCC during the week, that being the acquisition of KDSP-FM by Public Broadcasting of Colorado. In a way, it was a bad sign for business, since the station will be abandoning commercials in favor of underwriting announcements and pledge drives.

The only TV deal was the transfer of a Charleston WV low power outlet from Gray to DTV America Corporation. We know now that another deal was filed later sending another LPTV, in Rapid City SD, from DTV to Gray. Both deals involved a scant $100 cash component.

In all, there were seven deals filed representing a total value of $7,579,608 and a total of three AMs, four FMs and one LPTV.

Here are the week’s top deals:
$5,750,000 KDSP-FM Denver from Front Range Sports Network to Public Broadcasting of Colorado. The station is a Class A on 102.3 MHz.
$950,000 WNTS-AM Indianapolis (Beech Grove IN) from Davidson Media Group to Continental Broadcast Group. Will be part of three-station Hispanic cluster
$700,000 KDBI-FM Boise ID (Emmett ID) from JLD Media LLC to FM Idaho Company. Will be part of a five station cluster.

Oil travails have been pulling down the market
We don’t know about you, but we’ve been loving the trend in gas prices in our neck of the woods, but it has been wreaking havoc on the stock market.

Emmis had a very good week, perhaps related to its revelation of an excellent quarter, and Beasley was up. Other than those two companies, there are minus signs and red ink everywhere, among the issues followed by RBR-TVBR.