It is a Class C2 FM serving Alabama’s biggest market from Gardendale offering a blend of Top 40 music anchored by the syndicated Tino Cochino Radio in morning drive. Soon, that will all end, as Summitmedia has agreed to sell the facility.
According to an asset purchase agreement filed on Thursday, WPYA-FM 97.3 is being transferred from “SM-WZNN, LLC,” a Summitmedia subsidiary, to K-LOVE.
Indeed, the Christian Contemporary Music Goliath is gaining a full-power home for K-LOVE, as the transaction will likely see it shift from W241AI at 96.1 MHz, a 99-watt facility atop Red Mountain fed by WMJJ-FM HD3. K-LOVE can also be heard in the Birmingham market via KRLE-FM 89.7 in Carbon Hill, Ala., a Class C1 facility to the far northwest of the metropolitan area.
K-LOVE on a full-powered signal would also give it a leg up on competitors including Radio Training Network’s Way FM in Market No. 61.
With Frank Montero representing Summitmedia and David Oxenford and Paige Fronabarger again handling K-LOVE’s legal affairs with the FCC, paperwork submitted to the LMS shows K-LOVE is paying $2.6 million for WPYA. A $130,000 deposit is being held by Montero at Fletcher Heald & Hildreth.
There is no broker or finder associated with this transaction.
The deal comes as K-LOVE sibling Air1 Worship Music continues its relationship with Summitmedia by leasing its WZZK-FM HD2.
Following the sale of WPYA, Summitmedia’s holdings in its home market, former Cox Radio properties, will be comprised of WBHK “Kiss,” WBHJ “Jamz,” WZZK-FM, WBPT-FM, WAGG-AM, and FM translator services “X100.1” and “107.3 Birmingham Mountain Radio.”
The 107.3 MHz facility is presently fed by WPYA-FM HD2. It is not known if a new originating station is in the works for this service.
