HAIKU, MAUI, HAWAII — Until October 2018, a Kahului-based multimedia company had focused its efforts on serving Maui and the big island of Hawai’i. At that time, expansion to Kaua’i was solidified.
Now, Pacific Media Group has entered Oah’u with the addition of four big FM stations.
In a deal struck Wednesday (6/26), subsidiary Pacific Radio Group — led by Chuck Bergson (pictured) — is acquiring the four Ohana Broadcast Company stations serving Honolulu.
This gives PMG control of the following stations:
- Class C CHR/Rhythmic KDDB-FM 102.7 “Da Bomb” in Waipahu, Oah’u
- Class C1 Rhythmic AC KUMU-FM 94.7 in Honolulu
- Class C Hawaiian AC KQMQ-FM 93.1 in Honolulu, “Da Pa’ina”
- Class C Alternative KPOI-FM 105.9 in Honolulu, presently branded as “ALT 105.9.”
PMG is getting the quartet for $5.5 million.
A $275,000 escrow deposit is being held, interestingly, by mainland financial institution BB&T.
The remainder will be paid in cash at closing.
There is no broker or finder associated with this transaction.
Ohana is led by Los Angeles-based Jason Wolff through Frontier Broadcast Holdings.
Ohana’s legal counsel in the deal is Scott Woodworth of Edinger Associates.
PMG is represented by The Law Office of Dan J. Alpert.
All four Oah’u stations can be heard in Upcountry Maui, thanks to terrain.
KUMU’s roots are as a B/EZ station serving Oah’u; KQMQ has had several formats throughout its 52-year history, with AOR programming giving way to Top 40 in the 1980s. Today it offers an island reggae format in place since 2011. KDDB dates to 1990, when it was Country KDEO. It then gained notoriety as “Radio Free Hawaii” under station manager Norm Winter. KDDB has had its current branding and format since November 2000. Meanwhile, the KPOI-FM calls are legendary for its history as a rock and roll station.
No immediate changes are expected. Bergson was not in the office on Friday morning when contacted by RBR+TVBR‘s Maui bureau; he did not respond to texts from RBR+TVBR‘s main offices in Florida.
The Ohana transaction follows the October 2018 acquisition of KONG Radio Group on the island of Kaua’i for $1.3 million.
— Reporting by Ethan Hunt, from Maui. Additional reporting by Adam Jacobson, in Miami.
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