Posted on 06/05/2015 5:55:27 AM PDT by raccoonradio
Radio Disney continues its sell-off with the divestment of two more stations to Salem Media. Salem’s Pennsylvania Media Associates will acquire 1260 WMKI Boston for $500,000, while Inspiration Media of Texas adds 620 KMKI Plano/Dallas for $3 million.
WMKI will becomes Salem’s fourth property in the Boston market joining Christian Preaching “590 The Word” WEZE, “Spirit of Boston” 950 WROL, and Spanish Christian “Radio Luz 1150” WWDJ. The acquisition will lead to questions of whether Salem will bring a Conservative Talk “Answer” to Rush Limbaugh’s need for a new Boston affiliate.
KMKI will be Salem’s sixth property in the Dallas market. The company owns Christian AC 94.9 KLTY, Christian Preaching “100.7 the Word” KWRD, Conservative Talk “660 The Answer” KSKY and Spanish Christian “Radio Luz 1440” KTNO. Salem also operates First Ventures Capital Partners’ Business Talk 1160 KVCE under a Time Brokerage Agreement through at least the end of this year
Not sure if it will become conservative talk or not. Salem tried conserv talk here before and it didn’t well but they did just launch a new “Answer” on former Radio Disney station WDDZ (now WPGP) in Pittsburgh. Also they tend to run their own talkers (Gallagher, Praeger, Medved, Bennett); would they take Rush (...and pay for him?) In Pitt. they do have one local talker, Rose Tennant.
Rumor has it that the reason WRKO in Boston dumped Rush is that declining radio ad revenues had made it very hard to justify his big up-front rights fee (rumored to be $500K/year in that market). A local show, even with a fraction of the ratings, could be infinitely more profitable when you don’t have to shell out that big rights fee up-front.
Would Salem pay as much for Rush’s Boston rights as they did for the entire station? I guess we’ll see.
Is ESPN Radio still on the dial? The few times in which I have attempted to listen, let’s just say that is an abomination.
Its highly doubtful that a tiny squeaker like 620 KMKI Plano/Dallas is going to take Rush from WBAP 820 powerhouse.
Ironically enough $500k is what Salem is paying for the station. Yes re: Rush and some estimates say RKO was in the hole for $1.2 million. WMEX also said no to carrying him;
last year there was a limited marketing agreement with Wallis Comm. to buy the station, but eventually they dropped out of the picture. Now Daly XXL of N.C. is LMA-ing the station with intent to purchase...and they said no to
paying big bucks for Rush. That station already costs a lot of money for the electricity etc. !
Salem is already running Christian teaching and praise stations here, so the theory of conservative talk seems likely (as the other bases are already covered including
Spanish—1150). But getting Rush, not as likely unless iHeart/Premiere really wants to clear him here. But they want big bucks, as Rush finishes off his contract and iHM is deep in debt.
Well I’m talking about Boston, which will lose Rush in a couple weeks. WRKO 680 (Entercom) didn’t renew him and WMEX 1510 doesn’t want him.
Then don’t throw in Dallas to gain attention.
Well, the article was about both cities and I know Rush fans in Boston at least may find it interesting (he may wind up on 1510 there after all but who knows). As for Dallas, I don’t know what they’ll put there on what is now a Mickey Mouse station as they already do have a conservative talker.
Also possible that they could put Christian stuff on 1260 and make stronger signal 590 conserv talk. Nothing official yet.
Rush Limbaugh being done in by capitalism?
Irony: The Mark of Quality Literature.
It’s the free market; the same free market that doomed Air America.
Jon Sinton, Air America Radio, 2004: “In five years we’ll be on 500 stations” (instead, they were bankrupt)
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