A man considered by many to be “a pioneer broadcaster” died on February 11, 2018.
Ray Moran, founder of Lubbock-based radio and TV station owner Ramar Communications, was 82.
Now, four Lubbock TV stations associated with Ramar have been sold — and two are going to Gray Television in a transaction brokered by Kalil & Co.
According to a broker release obtained by RBR+TVBR, Ramar has agreed to sell The CW Network affiliate in Lubbock, KLCW-23, and two low-power facilities — MyNetwork affiliate KMYL-LD 14 and Telemundo affiliate KXTQ-CD 46 — to Gray.
The price was not immediately disclosed and is expected in a Form 314 filing with the FCC later this week.
The deal would give Gray a “super-duopoly” in Lubbock, if you will. Under FCC rules, KLCW would be a duopoly partner outside of the Top Four rule prohibition, paired with NBC affiliate KCBD-11, a former Raycom Media station.
Concurrently, Ramar is selling the FOX affiliate in Lubbock, KJTV-34, and associated Class A facility KJTV-CD, to SagamoreHill Broadcasting, also for an undisclosed price.
SagamoreHill Broadcasting owns network-affiliated television stations in nine markets. Six of its properties are operated by other TV broadcast station ownership groups via shared services agreements.
Subject to receipt of regulatory and other approvals, the parties anticipate closing these
transactions simultaneously “in the coming months.”
Ramar will continue to operate its radio stations in Lubbock, and its Albuquerque-Santa Fe TV stations.
Ramar was founded by the late Ray Moran in 1972. It is still family-run, by President Brad Moran.
He said, “As we start our 40th year in December I can think of no better companies to be a good steward of these stations and serve the Lubbock area than my longtime friends at SagamoreHill and Gray. Our employees, some of which have worked for the company since 1972, will have the chance to join two well-established broadcasters. I especially want to thank the clients and viewers for trusting us for so many years.”
FROM THE RBR+TVBR ARCHIVES:
