Lincoln Financial Media’s WSTR-FM Star 94 has been a rarity in these post-Telecom radio days – a standalone operation in a major US radio market. What it is about to become – part of an old-fashioned AM-FM combo, is probably just as rare. Rarer still are the outlines of this deal – because the FM isn’t really a standalone. LFM already owns WQXI-AM Sports Radio “790 The Zone.”
The intellectual property of the station station is being sold by Big League Broadcasting, founded in 1997 by current Co-Presidents Andrew Saltzman and Stephen “Steak” Shapiro. BLB has been running the station in an LMA with LFM.
WSTR-FM VP/GM Rick Mack will be upped to SVP/GM and head up both stations. Salzman will stay on as WQXI VP/GM, reporting to Mack, and air personality Shapiro will be the station brand manager.
“The addition of 790 The Zone strengthens our Atlanta operations, and Rick is the perfect person to lead this new unified effort for us,” said Don Benson, LFM President and CEO. “We’re big believers in sports radio, with the success of our other properties in Denver and Miami. The Zone’s veteran management team and roster of talented employees will give us an even stronger presence in the format.”
The value of the deal was not made public.
