Urban One Agrees To LMA With Ohio Hispanic Radio Operator

A Local Management Agreement has been signed that sees La Mega Media Inc. and Lazo Media LLC “taking a significant step to expand Spanish-language programming across its Ohio markets and into Indianapolis.”

How so? Urban One is taking the “La Mega” brand and its programming to stations in Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus, Ohio, as well as Indiana’s largest market.

The publicly traded company headed by Alfred Liggins III made the announcement after Friday’s closing bell on Wall Street.

Urban One’s assumption of the stations associated with La Mega and Lazo will see La Mega Media Chief Operating Officer Claudia DeLeon become VP/GM of Cleveland for Urban One and take the role of Head of Spanish Broadcast Operations for the Washington, D.C.-based company.

“We are thrilled to align with such a well-established brand in Ohio, one with a legacy of dedicated service to Hispanic communities in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati,” said Eddie Harrell Jr., who was recently named Co-President of Urban One’s Audio Division. “Equally exciting is the addition of Claudia, a seasoned executive who brings a wealth of experience and talent to our team. Adding La Mega to our portfolio further strengthens our business footprint and enhances our offerings to reach minority communities across these key markets.”

What does the partnership mean? La Mega will now be heard on Lazo Media-owned WWLA-FM 103.1 (formerly WVKO) in Johnstown, Ohio and WWLG-FM 107.1 (formerly WJYD) in Circleville, Ohio, licensed to Blue Chip Broadcasting Licenses Ltd. and an Urban One property. This gives the Columbus market two signals, maximizing coverage of Ohio’s capital city.

Additionally, WJMO-AM 1300 in Cleveland, another Blue Chip-licensed and Urban One-owned property, is that market’s home for “La Mega.”

In Cincinnati, where WOXY-FM 97.7 was sold to Randy Michaels’ Radioactive LLC and has become Oldies as “The Oasis,” WIZF-FM 101.5’s HD2 signal is the market’s home for “La Mega.” Lastly, WHHH-FM 105.1 HD2 is also taking “La Mega.”

This means all Urban One stations that had been operating under the “La Grande” brand are now “La Mega.”

Radio One Division CEO David Kantor says the arrangement marks “a significant enhancement” to its Spanish-language media presence in Ohio and in Indianapolis, “aligning with the needs of our audiences and meeting the growing demand in these rapidly expanding Hispanic communities. Our goal is to deliver high-quality, culturally relevant programming that reflects the vibrant and diverse lives of our listeners. Through this arrangement, we can better serve Hispanic audiences in each market, connecting communities with music, news, and content that speaks directly to them.”