On July 30, RBR+TVBR first reported on agreement signed by the children of the late Ray Moran that involves the sale of a full-power TV station in Albuquerque and its associated full-power and low-power repeater stations in a transaction brokered by Kalil & Co.
The buyer has now closed on the transaction.
As such, NBCUniversal Local has completed its $12.5 million purchase of Albuquerque-market Telemundo affilaite KASA-2, using RF channel 27, in Santa Fe, N. Mex.
KASA-2 is being sold along with full-time satellite stations KRTN-33 in Durango, Colo.; KRTN-LD 18 in Albuquerque; KTEL-25 in Carlsbad, N. Mex.; KTEL-CD 47 in Albuquerque; KUPT-29 in Hobbs; KUPT-LD 32 in Albuquerque; and K31NB-D in Santa Fe.
The deal value includes a $1.1 million payment for property; $830,000 is assigned to the KUPT stations. The remaining funds are associated with the other stations, in particular KASA-2.
The deal’s consummation makes KASA an owned-and-operated Telemundo station, licensed to NBCUniversal Local. Kalil & Co. represented Ramar in this transaction.
As such, Telemundo Houston President/GM Tony Canales is adding similar duties for “Telemundo Nuevo México,” and will oversee all station operations, including the hiring of newsroom staff to support the launch of new local news operations to serve Spanish-speakers within the Albuquerque DMA.
Concurrently, Telemundo Houston VP of Sales Patricia Buchanan will expand her role to also include Telemundo Nuevo México. Buchanan will oversee all local sales activities for KASA-TV and will focus on developing and maintaining local partnerships and revenue opportunities.
KASA has been associated with Telemundo since January 2017. That’s when Ramar acquired the station as part of the Nexstar divestments necessary to complete its merger with Media General. From 1993, KASA had been the FOX affiliate; FOX programming now appears on KRQE-13.2.
The other stations presently air digital multicast networks including Movies! and MeTV. While the future of those offerings is not known, NBCUniversal now has a home for its TeleXitos and NBC LX digital multichannel offerings, in addition to COZI TV.
The NBC affiliate serving Albuquerque, KOB-4, is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting.
“We are pleased to expand on Ramar Communications’ work with the Latino community in the market and look forward to serving Albuquerque’s Spanish-speaking audiences with the launch of our own Telemundo local news operation, soon,” said Valari Staab, President, NBCUniversal Local.
Brad Moran, President of Ramar Communications, added, “After 23 years of operation of Telemundo in Albuquerque, Ramar is pleased to transition development of our stations to NBCUniversal Local. This transaction will be beneficial to the community, viewers and advertisers of the KASA+ stations.”
On February 11, 2018, the founder of Lubbock-based radio and TV station owner Ramar Communications passed away. At the time of his passing, Ramar was comprised of 16 radio and TV stations across Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. In Lubbock, Ramar’s four stations were spun in October 2020, split evening between SagamoreHill Broadcasting and Gray Television.
