In the African American enclave of Belle Glade, Fla., there’s a Class D AM with an FM translator that has long been known for its service to the Black community, even as it attempted a Talk format targeting nearby West Palm Beach and Boca Raton under JVC Broadcasting ownership several years ago.
Now, another change is in the works for “Sugar 900.”
WSWN-AM 900 in Belle Glade and FM translator companion W296DN at 107.1 MHz are being sold by Sugar Broadcasting LLC to Shekinah Radio International LLC.
A $725,000 purchase price has been agreed to by the parties. However, as part of satisfying a debt owed by Sugar to Shekinah, a $50,000 credit will be applied to the purchase price.
A $36,250 escrow deposit has been made and is being held by Frank Montero of Fletcher Heald & Hildreth; the remaining funds are due in cash at closing.
The buyer is led by Michelet Felix, as President, and the seller is headed by Sylna Leger Bazile.
Ms. Bazile ended up in control of WSWN and the FM translator following a November 2023 transfer of control approved by a Palm Beach County Circuit Court as part of a lengthy divorce proceeding between Carline Clerge Leger and James Leger.
WSWN in the 1980s adopted a R&B format with a strong focus on Black Gospel. It enjoyed much success covering the communities surrounding Lake Okeechobee and the nearby West Palm Beach area, but by the early 1990s experienced erosion thanks to new FM competition from adjacent markets. In September 2014, WSWN was sold to JVC Broadcasting and switched to a News/Talk format. That programming ended in December 2017, with a return to “Sugar 900” ahead of its $125,000 sale by JVC to Sugar.
