It is a Canton, N.C.-based AM radio station that has been a part of Saga Communications‘ Asheville Radio Group since 2003 and is presently paired with a FM translator allowing the cluster to serve Asheville, Tenn., with a Sports Talk format originating from another Saga AM.
Now, Saga has decided to sell the Canton AM and the FM translator, along with a second FM translator, reducing the presence of “WISE Sports Radio” in the market.
According to an asset purchase agreement dated January 4, 2024, Saga has agreed to sell WYSE-AM 970 in Canton along with FM translator partner W275CP at 102.9 MHz and silent W248CM at 97.5 MHz in Waynesboro, N.C.
The buyer is EZ Radio LLC, a 50/50 partnership between Julie Ziegler and Lester Elton.
Each are associated with Wilkins Radio Network, owner of 40 religious stations in various markets across the U.S.
The deal is valued at $10,000 and includes all existing tower lease agreements, and an “Equipment Use Agreement” that allows EZ Radio to use the transmitter, transmission line, combiner, antenna and audio codec feeding audio to the transmitter needed for W275CP.
And, in a sign Saga has no plans to get rid of the “WISE Sports Radio” brand, it is retaining the WYSE call letters, with new call letters coming to the Canton AM upon closing.
Serving as Saga’s legal counsel is Gary Smithwick of Smithwick & Belendiuk; John C. Trent of Putbrese, Hunsacker & Trent served as the buyer’s legal counsel in this transaction.
The Asheville Radio Group is comprised of WISE-AM; WOXL-FM and two HD multicast stations heard on FM translators; and WTMT-FM and two HD multicast stations also heard on FM translators in the market. This gives Saga seven audio brands including local news and information portal The828.com in the Asheville market.
