Randall Weiss is widely known for his role as a low-power television station entrepreneur through his Edge Spectrum operation. Now, Weiss is agreeing to part ways with a pair of LPTV stations serving two Idaho communities.
An agreement signed July 9 and filed on Thursday with the Commission for regulatory approval sees Edge Spectrum selling K47JK-D in Pocatello, Idaho and K21ME-D in Twin Falls, Idaho to Ventura Media Communications LLC.
That’s the Todd Lopes-headed operation based in Fresno.
The Pocatello station is silent and has an extended displacement Construction Permit to operate at K20MO-D — but a move to get the facility up and running must be implemented soon, with a license to cover due August 1.
The goal is to get K20MO-D up and running with ATSC 1.0 broadcasts.
The Twin Falls stations has a pending license to cover, filed in September 2022. But, Weiss couldn’t agree to terms on a tower lease with American Tower Corp. As such, K21ME-D has been dark since June 1, 2024.
Ventura Media Communications understands that no site lease will be assigned and that it will need to file an application for modification to move the station to a new tower site at its own cost and expense, the asset purchase agreement reads.
The transaction’s terms also call for Ventura Media Communications-related “MM Shirin Properties LLC” in Pocatello to lease space to Edge Spectrum on its tower and in its building to allow Weiss to resume full-time operations of K16NQ-D in Pocatello.
While K16NQ-D is not being sold, the agreement calls for Ventura Media to rebroadcast KPIF-TV in Pocatello on K16NQ-D, as part of an arrangement to get the station back into regular service.
The key to the agreement is allowing Ventura Media to save the properties from license cancellation and call letter deletion; a token $10 payment is being made by Ventura Media.
