• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

CBS Radio to merge with Entercom

http://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=b15041

Here is an update for the CBS Radio/Entercom deal

Entercom Communications received a request for additional information and documentary material from the Department of Justice on Wednesday. In a filing, the company said that the action, often referred to as a "second request," is in connection with its previously announced merger with CBS Radio, entered into with Constitution Merger Sub Corp., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned unit of CBS Corp. Under the deal, Entercom is combining with CBS's radio business in a two-step all stock "Reverse Morris Trust" transaction.

The second request was issued under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. CBS received an identical request for additional information and documentary material from the DOJ in connection with the transactions
Click to expand...
 
gendvild said:
So I think Hubbard Radio might buy the SF stations, which is the 4th largest market & and they'll likely swap & buy the four Hubbard stations in Cincinnati, which is #30. Which leaves LA, Sacramento, Seattle & Boston. I-Heart will likely get a station or two in Boston & Sacramento for the properties in either Worcester & Providence, & Bonneville will likely get 100.7 & 103.7 in Seattle & likely buy back 100.3 in LA (because they owned them before) for the 3 Phoenix stations, plus either Univision & Lotus will buy one of the Sacramento & San Diego stations. So I think that's the situation.
Click to expand...


Hubbard and/or Bonneville will possibly acquire Entercom's spinoffs in San Francisco and/or Seattle, with Entercom receiving Hubbard's St. Louis cluster, Hubbard's Cincinnati cluster, and Bonneville's Phoenix cluster. Even though Hubbard has a Phoenix cluster, swapping that with Entercom would require one FM signal to be divested, and since Bonneville already sold off one of their AM signals in Phoenix, It would be more viable for Entercom to take Bonneville's Phoenix cluster instead in addition to their Phoenix cluster they're acquiring from CBS. Likewise, Entercom would add additional stations to their St. Louis cluster they're also acquiring from CBS.

iHeartMedia may be able to swap in Boston and Sacramento, considering that iHeartMedia acquired one of CBS Radio's properties in Sacramento in 2008, and acquired another FM in Boston in 2012, so I'm thinking that iHeartMedia could acquire one or two in Boston (preferably the WBZ stations plus an additional FM, due to possible DOJ concerns that Entercom may face) and one more in Sacramento, if they can swap out of their other markets (which I hope they're willing to). Lotus may be considered another buyer for Sacramento, however, I'm not sure what they would offer to Entercom.

Univision wouldn't be able to swap with Entercom, because the majority of the overlapping markets have an iHeartMedia presence, and Thomas H Lee Partners is currently investing in Univision and iHeartMedia. I even thought it would be possible for Univision to expand their holdings in San Diego, but then I found out it wouldn't be possible due to the aforementioned private equity interests. Besides, Entercom is divesting 92.1, which simulcasts country station 97.3. However, finding a buyer in San Diego would be hard, considering half of the stations serving the market are broadcasting from the Mexican side.
 
miketheradioguy said:
Univision wouldn't be able to swap with Entercom, because the majority of the overlapping markets have an iHeartMedia presence, and Thomas H Lee Partners is currently investing in Univision and iHeartMedia. I even thought it would be possible for Univision to expand their holdings in San Diego, but then I found out it wouldn't be possible due to the aforementioned private equity interests.
Click to expand...

With two full-signal FMs in SD, why would Univision want yet another FM in SD? It has the two most viable formats already, in a market with over 20 Spanish language signals.

In any event, the spin-off there is a smallish North County signal that does not cover the vast majority of the total maket Hispanic population.
 
DavidEduardo said:
With two full-signal FMs in SD, why would Univision want yet another FM in SD? It has the two most viable formats already, in a market with over 20 Spanish language signals.

In any event, the spin-off there is a smallish North County signal that does not cover the vast majority of the total maket Hispanic population.
Click to expand...

I just thought Univision would've turned 92.1 into Univison Deportes, but I don't see that happening. Like I said before, Univision wouldn't be able to expand their holdings in San Diego. I honestly don't care who ends up getting 92.1. Besides, it's only a simulcast of 97.3, which makes 92.1 the best choice for Entercom to spin off. Entercom will have a perfect cluster in San Diego with the additions of AC KYXY 96.5 and CHR Energy 103.7 from CBS. If a format change takes place once the merger closes, I wouldn't be surprised to see Entercom blow up the latter, considering the station is the lowest rated CHR in San Diego, behind Local Media's Z90.3 and iHeartMedia's Channel 93.3. If such a move happens, I'm not sure what the new format on 103.7 would be.
 
miketheradioguy said:
I just thought Univision would've turned 92.1 into Univison Deportes,
Click to expand...

92.1 does not cover a useful part of the market for an Hispanic targeted station.
 
only1moore said:
I don't see Entercom expanding the AMP brand, but they could be rebranded though. In the case of KQKS/Denver, they're doing well as a Rhythmic Top 40. I agree that Entercom should bring 102 Jamz back to Orlando and be reunited with its Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point sibling.
Click to expand...

Considering that 101.9 Amp Radio wasn't successful competitor against the XLnt 106.7 and the reunion with WJMH in Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point, 102 Jamz should definitely bounce back into Orlando.
 
CBS/Entercom radio in Philadelphia PA

I wonder what changes may happen to the 6 CBS radio, soon to be Entercom owned stations in Philadelphia PA?
 
No matter what, RadioInsight says that the Patriots will remain on 'BZ-FM.
 
miketheradioguy said:
Since ESPN operates WEEI-FM under an LMA, could ESPN purchase the station outright from Entercom? Makes more sense than trading it to someone else.
Click to expand...

The Walt Disney Company, majority owner of ESPN, got out of the radio business ten years ago. ESPN also operates WEPN-FM in NYC under an LMA from Emmis. It seems pretty clear that Disney prefers operating radio stations to owning them.

However, there are a few exceptions. They own KSPN-AM in LA. They own WMVP-AM in Chicago. They own WEPN-AM in NYC. They own KESN-FM in Dallas. Could they buy WEEI outright? I imagine the answer to that is "if they have to." But they'd rather operate it with someone else being responsible for the towers and transmitters.

So this might be one of those situations where it's best to stick the station in a trust, have Disney pay the LMA fee to the trust, and let the trust deal with all the legal and engineering stuff. That's what I'd do if I didn't want to get into the ownership business.
 
TheBigA said:
The Walt Disney Company, majority owner of ESPN, got out of the radio business ten years ago. ESPN also operates WEPN-FM in NYC under an LMA from Emmis. It seems pretty clear that Disney prefers operating radio stations to owning them.

However, there are a few exceptions. They own KSPN-AM in LA. They own WMVP-AM in Chicago. They own WEPN-AM in NYC. They own KESN-FM in Dallas. Could they buy WEEI outright? I imagine the answer to that is "if they have to." But they'd rather operate it with someone else being responsible for the towers and transmitters.

So this might be one of those situations where it's best to stick the station in a trust, have Disney pay the LMA fee to the trust, and let the trust deal with all the legal and engineering stuff. That's what I'd do if I didn't want to get into the ownership business.
Click to expand...

I did read somewhere that ESPN could purchase WEPN-FM outright from Emmis, if they decide to sell all their radio stations. It would be interesting to see if such a sale happens.
 
miketheradioguy said:
Since ESPN operates WEEI-FM under an LMA, could ESPN purchase the station outright from Entercom? Makes more sense than trading it to someone else.
Click to expand...

ESPN does NOT operate WEEI-FM under an LMA unless something has changed very recently. 'EEI-FM runs mostly local programming not affiliated with ESPN.

The AM is running all or mostly ESPN programming, but I was under the impression Entercom still operated it. It is, however, possible that ESPN is running 850 since the local programming moved to 93.7 roughly 5 years ago.
 
TheBigA said:
It falls into that category of "only if they have to."
Click to expand...

I understand. I wanted to figure out a way how Entercom could settle DOJ issues in Boston once they complete the review of the CBS Radio-Entercom merger, and if an outright purchase by ESPN would be possible to keep WEEI and The Sports Hub both competitive.
 
Kent said:
ESPN does NOT operate WEEI-FM under an LMA unless something has changed very recently. 'EEI-FM runs mostly local programming not affiliated with ESPN.

The AM is running all or mostly ESPN programming, but I was under the impression Entercom still operated it. It is, however, possible that ESPN is running 850 since the local programming moved to 93.7 roughly 5 years ago.
Click to expand...

I got things mixed up when I saw that ESPN operates WEEI-FM. The strategy here is how Entercom plans to settle issues with the DOJ once they finish reviewing the merger. It would be interesting to see how the programming's going be shuffled around post-merger.
 
We don't even know what the DOJ is thinking on this issue. This is a very pro-business administration; perhaps its appointees will turn a blind eye to possible market domination by one media corporation.
 
CTListener said:
We don't even know what the DOJ is thinking on this issue. This is a very pro-business administration; perhaps its appointees will turn a blind eye to possible market domination by one media corporation.
Click to expand...

Exactly. There could also be some changes in ownership laws in the next year. The FCC Chairman has said he wants to look into it. A lot of things can happen that don't involve selling the station.
 
In today's "Tom Taylor Now" there is an article with the title, "No, iHeart’s not peeling off any stations. "

“If they’re holding things valued at 12-times cash flow, there’s no way they can sell stations for 7-times or even 8-times. Those assets are what generate the cash flow they need to service their debt.”

The article is intended to quash speculation that iHeart might sell some stations, a rumor based more on second guessing the recent belt tightening in certain areas than on reality.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.
Back
Top Bottom