Three AM radio stations, an FM serving a tiny Hamilton County, N.Y., hamlet, and four FM translators are poised to change hands, thanks to a deal reached on July 17 that has just been filed with the FCC for its regulatory OK.
With the Commission’s blessing, the following properties will be heading to Simms Broadcasting LLC from Cranesville Block Co. Inc.:
- Class D WIZR-AM 930 in Johnstown, N.Y. and W275BS at 102.9 MHz, plus W282CU at 104.3 MHz in Northville, N.Y.
- Class C WCSS-AM 1490 in Amsterdam, N.Y. and W295CZ at 106.9 MHz
- Class A WYVS-FM 96.5 in Speculator, N.Y.
- Class B WKAJ-AM 1120 in St. Johnsville, N.Y. and W250CX at 97.9 MHz
WKAJ, branded as “The Outlaw,” touts itself as New York State’s biggest AM music station, offering a Classic Hits format to an area that includes Gloversville, situated between the Utica-Rome and Albany-Schenectady-Troy markets.
A $600,000 purchase price has been agreed to, with a $2,000 earnest money deposit made to the seller by Cranesville.
Simms Broadcasting is led by Mariano Simms, who resides in Maryland. His legal counsel is Keenan Adamchak of Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP.
Cranesville, the seller, is led by Joseph Tesiero and used the services of Frank Montero of Fletcher Heald & Hildreth.
The sale by Cranesville marks the close of 17 years of majority ownership of WCSS, which had previously been operated by Tesiero’s father, the late John A. Tesiero Jr., via a LMA. The elder Tesiero died in 2017, and following his passing Carol Whelley, Joseph Tesiero, and John Tesiero III became the equity holders of Cranesville’s stations.
WYVS signed on the air in 2012. WIZR, a former Pamal Broadcasting property, was added to Cranesville’s holdings, as was WKAJ-AM, following the WCSS purchase.
