Radio/television/newspaper triple threat Journal Broadcast Corporation already has a three-FM radio cluster in Knoxville TN, but it has just filed to expand it into a quartet. However, the deal is in dispute.
M&M Broadcasting says it had a deal to buy the station, and claims that Journal stepped in ahead of it at the last minute, according to a report by WBIR-TV. The Journal deal has just been filed with the FCC.
Journal, headed by Steven J. Smith, has filed to by WNOX-FM from Oak Ridge FM Inc., headed by John W. Pirkle.
The price will be $6M cash, less a $45K credit to make certain repairs to the facility.
Here’s how the cluster will look once the deal closes:
* WNOX-FM is a Class C News-Talk station on 100.3 MHz in Oak Ridge TN with 100 kW @ 2,001’
* WWST-FM is a Class C1 Hip Hop station on 102.1 MHz in Sevierville TN with 15 kW @ 1,978’
* WCYQ-FM is a Class A Country station on 93.1 MHz in Karns TN with 2.65 kW @ 512’
* WKHT-FM is a Class A CHR station on 104.5 MHz in Knoxville TN with 2.3 kW @ 528’
All of the stations, including the Class As, throw a primary contour over Knoxville.
