Alpha Applies For 100% Foreign Ownership

[TheBigA]

Yet another US radio company has applied to the FCC to allow 100% foreign ownership. We've discussed this issue here before with regards to Cumulus and iHeart. In both cases, the FCC approved 100% foreign ownership. The FCC has opened this up for comments:

Alpha Media Petitions For Up To 100% Foreign Ownership - RadioInsight

Alpha Media has filed a petition with the FCC seeking approval for up to 100% foreign equity ownership and specific investors to own above 5% equity and voting stakes in the company. A thirty day comment period is being opened through February 6 regarding the petition, which Alpha states is an...

radioinsight.com

Two years ago, the FCC approved 100% foreign ownership for iHeart:

iHeartMedia Receives Approval from the FCC to Increase Foreign Ownership to 100%

iHeartMedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: IHRT), the number one audio company in America, today received a Declaratory Ruling from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approving an increase in iHeartMedia’s authorized aggregate foreign ownership from 25% to 100%, subject to certain conditions set forth...

investors.iheartmedia.com

Here is a similar story about Cumulus:

https://rbr.com/cumulus-gets-fccs-ok-for-complete-foreign-ownership/

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Yet another US radio company has applied to the FCC to allow 100% foreign ownership. We've discussed this issue here before with regards to Cumulus and iHeart. In both cases, the FCC approved 100% foreign ownership. The FCC has opened this up for comments:

Alpha Media Petitions For Up To 100% Foreign Ownership - RadioInsight

Alpha Media has filed a petition with the FCC seeking approval for up to 100% foreign equity ownership and specific investors to own above 5% equity and voting stakes in the company. A thirty day comment period is being opened through February 6 regarding the petition, which Alpha states is an...

radioinsight.com

Two years ago, the FCC approved 100% foreign ownership for iHeart:

iHeartMedia Receives Approval from the FCC to Increase Foreign Ownership to 100%

iHeartMedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: IHRT), the number one audio company in America, today received a Declaratory Ruling from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approving an increase in iHeartMedia’s authorized aggregate foreign ownership from 25% to 100%, subject to certain conditions set forth...

investors.iheartmedia.com

Two radio clusters in alaska and texas that were just sold were 100 percent foreign owned by an Australian company
A cluster in hawaii is owned by an australian company

 

[DavidEduardo]

Two radio clusters in alaska and texas that were just sold were 100 percent foreign owned by an Australian company
A cluster in hawaii is owned by an australian company

And, as mentioned before, TelevisaUnivision is co-owned by some US investment banking groups and Televisa from Mexico.

 

[TheBigA]

Typically the FCC just wants to have the ability to say no to certain foreign investors, such as the Chinese Communist Party.

 

[secondchoice]

I am personally against foreign ownership but if there is resaprosity for US companies so be it.

If the isn't an Hispanic station in my cluster*, I would love to image against a foreign owned cluster. I would have every station using "American owned and operated" then station ID.

* I would hire David or someone who understands the Hispanic audience before I used that image an Hispanic station if there is one in my cluster.

BTW: Does the old WMAK ownership or a jingle company have a copyright on the radio usage of "All American"? They were using it in the early 1970's.

 

[TheBigA]

I am personally against foreign ownership but if there is resaprosity for US companies so be it.

The government owns and licenses the airwaves. It's the FCC's decision, and it's not open to a public vote.

Right now the US government owns radio stations in several foreign countries, so those countries could demand reciprocity from us.

At one time, Clear Channel owned radio stations in Germany.

 

[secondchoice]

I know the commission controls the licenses. That's why I said "so be it." The FCC is controlled by political appointees. So be it. I have no influence although being a GA voter which has become slightly purple some elections can be very close a few thousand votes can make a difference.

Are not the stations the US Government owns similar to the old VOA trying to influence people whose government is not friendly to our government.

If another nation allows foreign ownership of their spectrum that is that county's decision.

I still believe that non NAFTA control of US infrastructure is national security threat. I still wonder about T-Mobile but Germany is a lot closer the Putin's Russia than we are.

With the current financial state of the radio industry, I wonder why foreign companies would want invest in a declining industry.

This veteran's mind is made up don't try to confuse me with the truth.

 

[DavidEduardo]

The government owns and licenses the airwaves. It's the FCC's decision, and it's not open to a public vote.

Right now the US government owns radio stations in several foreign countries, so those countries could demand reciprocity from us.

But those are mostly, still, shortwave with a few local or regional stations in allied nations

At one time, Clear Channel owned radio stations in Germany.

And in Australia and, still, a minority interest, in Mexico.

 

[DavidEduardo]

Are not the stations the US Government owns similar to the old VOA trying to influence people whose government is not friendly to our government.

The “old” VOA is the same as the old one. And it’s intent is to present the American perspective to news, culture and current affairs. It has a number of “subsidiaries” such as the Radio Martí Program with specific single purpose goals.

If another nation allows foreign ownership of their spectrum that is that county's decision.

I owned about a dozen stations in Ecuador through an Ecuadorian corporation which I was sole shareholder of. Every nation has its own specific rules.

With the current financial state of the radio industry, I wonder why foreign companies would want invest in a declining industry.

in many cases, it is not about big groups but a couple of local stations that an owner operator wants to buy, but where the person or couple are not US citizens..