Until March 2017, Hector Villalobos owned and operated three FMs and an AM serving agricultural areas tied to the Monterey-Salinas market. At the time, one of those FMs was sold. Then, Villalobos in September 2020 sold the two other FM stations.
Now, the AM has been spun, marking his exit from ownership of stations serving the picturesque region of Northern California.
Villalobos’ Wolfhouse Radio Group is agreeing to sell KTGE-AM 1570 in Salinas, Calif., and Big Radio Pro Inc. is the buyer.
KTGE is a Class B facility with 5kw during daylight hours and 500 watts at night, from 3 towers off of Old Stage Road, east of the city. The station’s signal covers the entire Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz market.
Villalobos is earning $250,000 from the sale of KTGE; a $50,000 deposit has been made to Wolfhouse by Big Pro, led by Jesse Portillo. At closing, the parties will agree to a $200,000 Promissory Note, bearing a 5% annual interest rate. As such, monthly payments of $2,121.31 have been agreed upon, with the Note bearing a 10-year term.
Terms include AM transmitter work that Wolfhouse will complete prior to KTGE’s sale.
Upon FCC approval and the deal’s closing, KTGE will end up in the hands of Portillo, who in 1995 founded Big Radio Pro as a creative studio “bringing thought and relevance to forward-thinking lifestyle and business.” It specializes in Brand and Lifestyle Consulting, Digital Marketing, Broadcasting Training and Business Start-up Consulting.
Among Portillo’s former projects is online radio station Estudio 72, offering regional Mexican programming. This suggests that KTGE’s current programming may not change upon closing.
KTGE is presently branded as “Radio Tigre.”
Villalobos in 2020 sold KRAY-FM in Salinas, Calif., and KMJV-FM in Soledad, Calif., along with K277AH at 103.3 MHz in Watsonville, Calif., to California Ortiz & 2 Media, for $900,000.
The sale of KRAY and KMJV follow the March 15, 2017 sale of KEXA-FM 93.9 in King City, Calif., to Inspiration Media Network for $775,000.
