In October, RBR+TVBR told you about “an ubiquitous presence at a trio of full-power radio stations and, today, three FM translators that all serve an area of Michigan to the west of Ann Arbor.”
This air personality agreed to become the stations’ owner, and the deal has now closed. This edition of TRANSACTIONS TODAY puts a spotlight on Jamie McKibbin, in addition to several Special Temporary Authority requests with the FCC.
McKibbin, who has been GM of the stations as well as the host of a popular hour-long outdoors show airing each Saturday at 10am, is now officially the owner of the following properties in Michigan:
- Class B News/Talk WKHM-AM 970 and FM translator W268CA at 101.5 MHz in Jackson
- Class A Hot AC WKHM-FM 105.3 “K105.3”, licensed to Brooklyn, Mich.
- Class C Country WIBM-AM 1450 and FM translator W240DG at 95.9 in Jackson, branded as “The Power Cow”
- W270CJ at 101.9 MHz in Jackson, the local ESPN Radio affiliate and home for the weekly Jamie McKibbin Outdoor Show.
The seller is Jackson Radio Works. That’s the company led by Bruce and Susan Goldsen.
Terms call for a $25,000 deposit, which will be retained by the Goldsens in the form of deferred compensation. At closing, $3,275,000 is to be paid in cash.
The remainder will be represented by a half-million-dollar Promissory Note.
Further, McKibbin is purchasing the real estate associated with the stations, and has made a $1,000 deposit against a $400,000 building acquisition.
McKibbin is also acquiring the radio towers associated with the stations, via McKibbin Properties Inc. This sees a $1,000 deposit applied to a $100,000 real estate purchase.
The sale of Jackson Radio Works comes roughly two months after Bruce and Susan Goldsen were honored with a 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and the MAB Foundation.
TWIN CITIES SILENCE
The small town of St. Louis Park, Minn., is home to a low-power FM at 97.5 MHz that holds a CP for a different facility at 88.9 MHz.
It is KPPS-LP, operated by nonprofit Park Public Radio, and it has applied for an STA to operate the station with a “type verified” transmitter.
This is instead of a “type certified” transmitter, which would help KPPS return to broadcaster after its main transmitter failed. Worse, Park Public Radio’s president suffered an illness and could not resolve the matter.
STA, MAHALO …
On January 21, 1972, 5kw KWAI-AM 1080 signed on the air in Honolulu under the KIOE call letters. Most recently, the station aired conservative Talk programming.
Today, KWAI, which grabbed the call letters in 1984, is dark. Why?
A STA request from licensee Radio Hawaii, Inc., states that KWAI needs to remain off the air “while spurious radiation measurements are taken” in order for it to operate from its location off of Ala Moana Blvd.
When KWAI does return to the airwaves, it will see an amended ownership structure. That’s because Radio Hawaii partners Barry and Sam Wagenvoord have completed the transfer of their combined 50% ownership in the licensee to Wagenvoord Advertising Group. It was made necessary thanks to a legal settlement agreed upon by family member Lola Wagenvoord.
— Ethan Hunt, in Paia, Hawaii
