There’s been a “West Palm Beach move-in” teased in the past months: well, it is WFLM-FM.
WFLM is (was) located in White City, St. Lucie County, outside of Fort Pierce. An upgrade to 50kw from 17.5kw back in 2014 resulted in it moving to 104.5 from 104.7. Now, it’s returning to 104.7 in its relocation to a tower in Palm Beach Shores, just north of downtown West Palm Beach (Magnolia Park at Hill Avenue and 53rd Street, to be exact; if you live out in Northwood Village, you’ll see it). The signal of the station, when it was on 104.7 — from 2014 to 2016 — had a signal that protected WRBQ-FM in Tampa.
The new location will extend WFLM’s signal to the Broward County line (why I’ve posted on this posted on this board and not the Treasure Coast section under the “Florida” state boards) — where you can hear Audacy’s WSFS 104.3 alternative outlet, which has a 100kw signal that covers to north to Lake Worth; that’s just a few miles away from the WFLM tower. Considering the WRBQ vs. WFLM issue: it’ll be interesting to see what interference issues will arise; if WFLM will “protect” or intrude on WSFS.
Alice Lee’s Midway Broadcasting sold it to Dean Freedman’s JDD Radio, LLC for $3.75 million. Freedman is the founder/president of Freeman Injury Law practice. His business partner (he works at Freedman Law, too) in this radio venture is a local broadcaster and “community activist” named Reggie Dee. Dee’s been on the air as an air personality at Hubbard’s WMBX “X-102.3.” Never heard him or of him, myself.
So, it’ll be interesting to see what a non-radio guy (I never heard of Freedman; did he broker airtime on Treasure Coast stations?) — with obviously deep pockets — will program on it. Dee’s past radio work — and “activism” — gives us a hint. He organized events, such as “historic walk across America to end racism” and “walk across America for unity” and runs the ReggieDee Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. He came out the Dallas/Fort Worth radio market (1997 to 2007) and was with Hubbard’s WMBX for 15 years, (2006 to 2022), so he’s got radio chops to make it sound good, at least.
There have been job notices on career board for the WFLM searching for a GM/Sales Manager combo-gig promising 100 to 150k a year. No word on where the studios will be.
These same “what will happen to the station” questions apply for the newly-purchased WWNN-AM by James Ospina’s Radio Activa Media Group – another deep-pocket guy (time-brokering and playing radio) who made bank in real estate and owned a car lot Palm Beach County. Now, him: I am almost positive I’ve heard him on the air as a time broker at some point.
I am hearing spanish language programming on it, but I believe that's coming off a Broward translator. Yes, WFLM is on a CP at the moment; so I believe I am currently hearing WYUN (LPFM) 104.7 in Coconut Creek. I thought that was off the air? It was Christian-Spanish, went Haitian-language, then dead air. So, interesting to see how or if that LPFM will be displaced/moved.
WFLM is (was) located in White City, St. Lucie County, outside of Fort Pierce. An upgrade to 50kw from 17.5kw back in 2014 resulted in it moving to 104.5 from 104.7. Now, it’s returning to 104.7 in its relocation to a tower in Palm Beach Shores, just north of downtown West Palm Beach (Magnolia Park at Hill Avenue and 53rd Street, to be exact; if you live out in Northwood Village, you’ll see it). The signal of the station, when it was on 104.7 — from 2014 to 2016 — had a signal that protected WRBQ-FM in Tampa.
The new location will extend WFLM’s signal to the Broward County line (why I’ve posted on this posted on this board and not the Treasure Coast section under the “Florida” state boards) — where you can hear Audacy’s WSFS 104.3 alternative outlet, which has a 100kw signal that covers to north to Lake Worth; that’s just a few miles away from the WFLM tower. Considering the WRBQ vs. WFLM issue: it’ll be interesting to see what interference issues will arise; if WFLM will “protect” or intrude on WSFS.
Alice Lee’s Midway Broadcasting sold it to Dean Freedman’s JDD Radio, LLC for $3.75 million. Freedman is the founder/president of Freeman Injury Law practice. His business partner (he works at Freedman Law, too) in this radio venture is a local broadcaster and “community activist” named Reggie Dee. Dee’s been on the air as an air personality at Hubbard’s WMBX “X-102.3.” Never heard him or of him, myself.
So, it’ll be interesting to see what a non-radio guy (I never heard of Freedman; did he broker airtime on Treasure Coast stations?) — with obviously deep pockets — will program on it. Dee’s past radio work — and “activism” — gives us a hint. He organized events, such as “historic walk across America to end racism” and “walk across America for unity” and runs the ReggieDee Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. He came out the Dallas/Fort Worth radio market (1997 to 2007) and was with Hubbard’s WMBX for 15 years, (2006 to 2022), so he’s got radio chops to make it sound good, at least.
There have been job notices on career board for the WFLM searching for a GM/Sales Manager combo-gig promising 100 to 150k a year. No word on where the studios will be.
These same “what will happen to the station” questions apply for the newly-purchased WWNN-AM by James Ospina’s Radio Activa Media Group – another deep-pocket guy (time-brokering and playing radio) who made bank in real estate and owned a car lot Palm Beach County. Now, him: I am almost positive I’ve heard him on the air as a time broker at some point.
I am hearing spanish language programming on it, but I believe that's coming off a Broward translator. Yes, WFLM is on a CP at the moment; so I believe I am currently hearing WYUN (LPFM) 104.7 in Coconut Creek. I thought that was off the air? It was Christian-Spanish, went Haitian-language, then dead air. So, interesting to see how or if that LPFM will be displaced/moved.
