http://www.rbr.com/entercom-sells-emf/
Where does EMF get the money to keep buying all these stations? Jeez.
Where does EMF get the money to keep buying all these stations? Jeez.
http://www.rbr.com/entercom-sells-emf/
Where does EMF get the money to keep buying all these stations? Jeez.
Well... mainly donor dollars (and they get a lot of those). They also have very good credit. Most purchases like this are financed.
Seriously, how does EMF qualify as a religious organization when its stations play commercially released CCM songs distributed by for-profit record companies? There's no Bible study going on here, no preaching, just wall-to-wall music with feel-good DJ patter.
The big problem is that Univision already has a "K-Love"-branded station in Los Angeles. Most of Univision's Spanish AC stations use the "Amor" branding, so I could see Univision re-brand their K-Love station to "Amor 107.5" if they can reach an agreement over the K-Love branding.
Wow for now Los Angeles is off the list on where entercom must remove stations though.
The real drama comes down to how Entercom handles Sacramento and San Francisco stations and who do they remove off the list besides the old KDND.
The issue for taxes and licensing is being non-profit, not being a particular format.
A lot of the TV spots for Shriners and WWP are no-cost PSA plays. I won't say they don't buy some ad time, because I don't know if that is the case.
KLVE in LA used to brand as "K-Love Radio Amor". Radio Amor was dropped more than a decade ago as the format migrated to a rhythmic Hot AC position.
Univision really does not have any AC stations; the couple named "Amor" are really Hot AC stations with a rhythmic slant except for Chicago, which is a variant on the Recuerdo/Más Variedad Adult Hits gold based format.
I could see the KLVE calls move to 100.3 and the KSWD calls move to 107.5.
You may be half right. I see no reason why 107.5 would want the KSWD letters.
The interesting part is that both EMF and Univision have trademarked the K-Love name. Univision got the trademark first in 1998. EMF got it in 2010. Their trademark has exceptions:
"Registration Limited To The Area Comprising The Entire United States And Its Territories And Possessions, With The Exception Of The Following Counties In California: Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County, Inyo County, San Bernardino County, Eastern Portions Of Kern County, Western Portions Of Riverside County, And San Diego County" (There are other geographical exceptions.)
So this is a trademark discussion that is taking place. What will it cost to get that exception removed? I don't know. We'll find out.
Entercom will also soon own KLUV in Dallas-Fort Worth. However, I wouldn't expect any divestitures in that market.
The KLVE call letters on 107.5 date back for more than 40 years. Redundant question: what possible reason would there be to change them now? The new owner has zero need for them. Just more fantasy football.
Some will argue that the use of call letters is archaic. K-Love certainly never uses them on-air. A call letter swap is needless. The discussion of one is irrelevant from the issue of brand.