NRG Media has filed an application with the FCC to sell its Wisconsin stations to Midwest Communications.
The deal is for $2.5 million, according to documents filed with the commission. The broker for the sale, Kalil & Co., announced the transfer.
As a result of the agreement, Midwest has also filed a local ownership rule waiver request with the FCC, as the 10 full-power stations in the Wausau-Stevens Point market it would own exceeds the six-station limit for a market of its size.
The properties involved in the deal are eight FMs — six of which are 100 kW ERP signals — two AMs and two FM translators in the communities of Minocqua, Rhinelander, Wisconsin Rapids, Wausau, Whiting, Marshfield and Antigo.
NRG owns approximately 30 other stations across Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska.
“We are proud of the great broadcasters in Wisconsin that we have proudly worked with and are happy they will continue serving Wisconsin with WRIG,” Mary Quass, NRG’s CEO, said in a release.
Waiver request
Midwest Communications is a Wisconsin-based corporation headed by Peter Tanz. The company owns approximately 80 other stations across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
It was among the radio groups we reported on in January that is in favor of relaxing ownership caps. Midwest maintained that sentiment in its waiver request.
“FCC Chairman (Brendan) Carr has recognized that the commission’s broadcast ownership rules have at least partially contributed to radio’s inability to scale to compete with the digital giants,” Midwest wrote in the waiver filing.
The company also made the case that because WBCV and its existing properties of WRIG(AM), WSAU(FM) and WOZZ(FM) provide limited coverage to the Wausau market, they should not be considered full-market competitors.
The stations involved in the deal are listed below:
| Frequency | Call Sign | City | Details / Power / HAAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1570 kHz | WLKD(AM) | Minocqua | 5 kW day / 0.5 kW night |
| 1240 kHz | WOBT(AM) | Rhinelander | 0.95 kW day / 1 kW night |
| 101.3 MHz | W267AF(FX) | Rhinelander | 0.25 kW @ 209’ HAAT |
| 105.7 MHz | W289CT(FX) | Minocqua | 0.25 kW @ 249’ HAAT |
| 107.9 MHz | WBCV(FM) | Wausau | 100 kW @ 1,030’ HAAT |
| 103.3 MHz | WGLX(FM) | Wisconsin Rapids | 100 kW @ 801’ HAAT |
| 96.7 MHz | WHTQ(FM) | Whiting | 26.5 kW @ 679’ HAAT |
| 106.5 MHz | WYTE(FM) | Marshfield | 100 kW @ 801’ HAAT |
| 97.3 MHz | WHDG(FM) | Rhinelander | 100 kW @ 551’ HAAT |
| 95.9 MHz | WMQA(FM) | Minocqua | 22 kW @ 351’ HAAT |
| 100.1 MHz | WRHN(FM) | Rhinelander | 100 kW @ 292’ HAAT |
| 105.3 MHz | WRLO(FM) | Antigo | 100 kW @ 541’ HAAT |
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