It's Official: Cox Radio Was Sold

[TheBigA]

There was a petition to deny filed by Common Cause in May. That was before the radio deal was announced, but it includes radio in the Dayton market:

https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1051143903250/CC CCOH UCC Apollo Cox Petition to Deny FINAL 5-10-19.pdf

 

[TheBigA]

Now the DOJ is holding up the same, due to Apollo exceeding foreign ownership rules:

http://www.insideradio.com/free/doj...cle_1359a90a-a793-11e9-915d-efb5e1cdfeb9.html

So even if you are an American company, the make-up of that company can hold up a sale.

 

[nightmanager]

There was some speculation about this company buying the radio group when TV was purchased. A lot of the conversation was about Apollo trying to squeeze more out of the properties by cutting cost. For the Atlanta radio group, any idea what that will look like?

Cost cutting, no doubt. WSB TV and radio is the only station combo I know of that flies two different news choppers, sometimes at the same time. Everybody else in town shares one. Sure having two comes in handy at times but those birds cost a fortune to fly. I'd bet they sell off the traffic chopper.

Personally, as I have zero attachment to White Columns, I can see them selling that as prime land. TV and radio doesn't need such a fancy and valuable location. Jacor/Clear Channel/iHeart ran for years from the Building of Death. That strikes me as just the sort of thing the new owners will be thinking about.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Cost cutting, no doubt. WSB TV and radio is the only station combo I know of that flies two different news choppers, sometimes at the same time. Everybody else in town shares one. Sure having two comes in handy at times but those birds cost a fortune to fly. I'd bet they sell off the traffic chopper.

Personally, as I have zero attachment to White Columns, I can see them selling that as prime land. TV and radio doesn't need such a fancy and valuable location. Jacor/Clear Channel/iHeart ran for years from the Building of Death. That strikes me as just the sort of thing the new owners will be thinking about.

You might be right. Who knows? But, WSB-TV has dominated this market for many years. Staying on top means having great people, top equipment and facilities that people feel good about working in.

Same with radio; Cox has some excellent, top-rated stations. Apollo is going to have to continue that commitment for the stations to stay on top. As the old saying goes, it takes money to make money.