Palm Beach Broadcasting’s deal with CBS Radio to buy three local West Palm Beach stations means a switch on the dial for Palm Beach County listeners. In April, Dean Goodman, CEO of Palm Beach Broadcasting, reached an agreement with CBS to purchase the stations for $50 million.
Ownership caps limit Goodman to ownership of four FMs in that market. Goodman told The Palm Beach Post he plans to keep WMBX (Mix 102.3); Country WIRK (107.9), Hot AC WPBZ (Now 103.1), and the programming on WEAT (Sunny 104.3). Goodman already owned AC WRMF (97.9).
So, two stations have to go. As part of acquiring those stations, Palm Beach Broadcasting will sell the flamethrower 104.3 signal because it can be moved out of the market to Miami.
As part of the move, Sunny FM will switch to 107.9. WIRK will move from 107.9 to 103.1. WPBZ is being shuttered. All changes became permanent 6/1.
As for 104.3, CBS Radio filed an application with the FCC to make a change for the city of license and other regional station frequency moves. In the plan, WEAT (renamed WMSF) would downgrade from a Class C to C1 and be licensed to Miramar, FL (between Miami and Hollywood, FL). Alex Media has a CP to build a Class C2 at 104.5 in Islamorada, FL. They are applying to change frequency to 93.5 mHz.
“I think having locally owned media companies that are interacting with that community and providing public service news are better attended to when management is in the same region as the customers,” Goodman told the paper.
About 100 employees work for the four CBS stations, including such radio industry veterans as Rick Shockley of Sunny 104.3, who has been in the market for 10 years. Other personalities include WIRK’s “Jeff Elliott In The Morning” and WMBX’s “The Wakeup Club.”
WEAT afternoon driver Randy Marsh is leaving is replaced by WEAT’s Scott Tripp. CBS OM/PD John O’Connell will stay on with Palm Beach Broadcasting.
See The Palm Beach Post story here
