I would like to see Sinclair get rid of their radio stations in Seattle. Sinclair could sell their radio stations to Hubbard, and then play musical chairs with Bonneville and Entercom to see what fits well within the ownership and revenue caps. It's logical that Sinclair wanted to exit radio between 1999-2000, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Sinclair sells their radio stations in Seattle.
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Sinclair Radio Stations
- Thread starter miketheradioguy
- Start date
Why do you care?
Mainly because of the CBS Radio-Entercom merger. I thought it would be interesting to see how Entercom plans to play musical chairs in Seattle, considering they need to spin 2 FMs in the market.
Moved from the Seattle TV Board.
Just curious - why do YOU care why he cares? He's just making an observation and speculation like many here do but it didn't involve upconverting the exciter to 4K then lowering the dummy load to get 110% modulation at 256kb/sec.
One thing we can always count on from you Rob, sophmoric-level sarcasm.
The reason I asked, at least in this case, was why any hobbyist cares here who owns what? Sinclair is running a business, and as long as the Seattle radio properties are earning their keep, they will keep the stations. That, and nobody is paying top dollar for radio properties anymore. Even someone with the slightest knowledge of the radio business knows since the 2008 Great Recession, the stations cash-flowing in the positive are more valuable than selling them for a lump sum. And since TV stations in the markets Sinclair is interested in are valued at much more than ANY radio station in ANY market, let alone in Seattle.
Another thing to consider is Sinclair has two AM's and one FM. Even though KOMO is a class A 50kW station, AM's are just not valued very strong, especially at "stick value". Existing station groups are not interested in picking up more, if any AM stations. Breaking KPLZ off would mean Sinclair would be 'stuck' with two AM stations, which would be the biggest self-inflicted white elephant a business could do.
There, I purposely left off technical discussion that might be over your head Rob. Feel better now?
The thing is, I don't see much evidence that Sinclair wants to return to radio ownership. I was having a discussion with TheBigA whether if Sinclair intends to sell their radio stations, and I believe selling the radio stations would be the most appropriate for Sinclair.
Sinclair will sell the radio properties when their profitability becomes subject to expected losses. Isn't this business 101? Another way of saying this is as long as KOMO, KPLZ and KVI continue to make money, they are sitting tight.
That may be your belief, but they would be selling at a time when there are way more sellers than buyers for radio properties, thus they would be selling at a loss. So I wouldn't suggest that as "appropriate."
They now have until October 5 to decide whether they will divest the radio stations.
If any of my beliefs or arbitrary deadlines meant nothing, then I wouldn't have read an article about the Media Bureau requesting for information from Sinclair by October 5th about their divestitures.
That relates to their TV divestitures. They are allowed to own both radio and TV stations.
Maybe Hubbard would be interested in Sinclair's TV and radio stations.
The radio properties are so far back in the review mirror on the TV deal speeding forward. If all Sinclair had to do was sell the radio properties and the FCC would give the TV deal with Tribune deal the rubber stamp of approval, then yes those stations would be gone faster than a FM station in Sacramento, California.
Or maybe not. The point is the Oct 5th date is not about radio.
You should get an investment group together and go for it, maybe get a few Entercom stations. Or at the least become a broadcast property broker and find some buyers and get a piece of the pie.
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AQH
Guest
Sinclair is in a horrible position at this moment in regards to selling their radio stations. Their next step is to see who ends up with what after the CBSR deal is done. There are dozens of scenarios both in programming and sales that can pan out and would affect the Sinclair stations, even though only one of those stations really matter, as the other three are dead weight.
Sinclair’s best move is to do what they do well, mediocre programming and seeing where they can cut more cost. The latter part will make the stations more attractive in the spreadsheets to a potential buyer.
LOL XD! I don’t even have that kind of money to own a radio station. Radio is just one of my hobbies. I bet Lew Dickey’s new company could go for Sinclair’s radio properties.
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