DISCUSS: Fantasia gets WZST

Boss 97 · Post by **Boss 97** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 5:58 pm

Media Markets & Money TM
Fantasia set for Fairmont double duopoly
Nick Fantasia, owner of Fantasia Broadcasting Inc., already has two AM stations and one FM in Fairmont WV. He now has a deal to get a second FM, Country WZST-FM. The seller is Earl Judy's Tschudy Communications Corporation. According to broker Ray Rosenblum, who handled the transaction, the price is 750K. Fantasia's other stations in the market include WMMN-AM, WTCS-AM and WRLF-FM.

Tom Taggart · Post by **Tom Taggart** » Fri Mar 21, 2008 7:27 pm

Apart from the report in Tom Taylor's news letter, and (apparently) some on air announcements, not reported anywhere else.

Also, interestingly, no application on file for the transfer of the license.

Somebody's attorney on vacation?

Dave Harman · Post by **Dave Harman** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:18 am

Congratulations to Nick and crew! I'm sure they'll do a great job reviving these stations. It's good to see someone buy them who has the resources to run them properly.

Jon Fox · Post by **Jon Fox** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:51 am

I'm sure they'll put something different than country on 100.9... but what? Congrats to Nick and Bill and everyone over at Fantasia... it is nice to see the "little guy" grow.

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:54 am

I wouldn't count any eggs just yet. Isn't Mr. Judy notorious for pulling the plug during the 11th hour?

engineer · Post by **engineer** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 3:44 pm

Lester wrote:I wouldn't count any eggs just yet. Isn't Mr. Judy notorious for pulling the plug during the 11th hour?

Earl Judy should be in jail.

Jon Fox · Post by **Jon Fox** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 4:34 pm

Wow that's pretty harsh isn't... care to elaborate? I don't know much about him... I have heard stories that his employee's paychecks used to bounce so they used to race to the bank.
I wonder if he'll hold on to WPDX-AM/FM or if they are up for sale as well.

AARON SCOTT · Post by **AARON SCOTT** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 4:47 pm

This is getting good!!! LOL

Dr. Whiplash · Post by **Dr. Whiplash** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 4:59 pm

Earl Judy?

Ray Rosenblum?

I think there's a reference to this in Revelations.

Boss 97 · Post by **Boss 97** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 8:45 pm

We were contacted directly with the availability, but the price was
just too high. We would have gone with $1.5 for WZST and WPDX
AM & FM. The then price was $2.1, then went higher with the
broker. I still think the $1.5 would have been a better deal
from Summit. And yes, Lester is right Earl does have an 11th
hour pull out history.

Nick is not a country format person. I would think a good
Rhythm Hit AC would kick someone's butt in Morgantown.
That's what we would have done, with lots of WVU activities
and real live local jocks.

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:00 pm

I soooooo want WPDX. Pro'lly not a good business decision, but it has sentimental value.

it is nice to see the "little guy" grow.

Who owned WFGM before the evil empire buy-out?

Boss 97 · Post by **Boss 97** » Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:08 pm

It was originally Randy J, then he sold it to Nick Fantasia
who handed it over

Tom Taggart · Post by **Tom Taggart** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:46 am

Calvin owned 97.9, not 104.9 (WPDX).

WPDX AM-FM was owned by the local newspaper for many years, then passed through several hands. The FM is a B-1, but it is many miles east of Clarksburg on an almost inaccessible hill.

Boss 97 · Post by **Boss 97** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:48 pm

Lester wrote

Who owned WFGM before the evil empire buy-out?

Nick Fantasia owned 97.9 for a short while. Also moved it to
the WRLF studio site for a while. Later he entered into an
LMA with WVRC in the mid to late '90s.

Boss 97 · Post by **Boss 97** » Sun Mar 23, 2008 7:57 pm

RE: WPDX AM & FM

Lester,
Where there's a will, there's a way. Gather your business contacts
and explore the possibilities. If Earl is willing to work with you,
he may even hold the note with a good deposit.

The odds are that Withers will go after it to go with WDCI
so he'll have 104.1 & 104.9

The next possibility would be Burback, but I'm not sure Earl is
open to working with them, for reasons mentioned earlier.

Tom Taggart · Post by **Tom Taggart** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 8:23 am

Burbach would more likely entertain offers for their Clarksburg stations, than buy anything else.

Not a good market, with most of the diaries concentrated in Morgantown, where WV radio dominates.

jag · Post by **jag** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:38 pm

What does this Burbach (Burback?) group hold in Clarksburg? I thought they were in Parkersburg. How are they doing?

What are the specs on WZST? Power? Strength?

WDCI was mentioned. What is Withers doing with it?

Dr. Whiplash · Post by **Dr. Whiplash** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 7:36 pm

jag wrote:What does this Burbach (Burback?) group hold in Clarksburg? I thought they were in Parkersburg. How are they doing?

What are the specs on WZST? Power? Strength?

WDCI was mentioned. What is Withers doing with it?

What do you think these here internets are for?

Tom Taggart · Post by **Tom Taggart** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:02 am

WZST is a short-spaced (to 100.7, Pittsburgh area) Class A licensed to Westover with a transmitter site several miles south of I-68. Short tower in a small park near a volunteer fire department. Old transmitter, 2.5k.

Burbach owns 92.7 Clarksburg, 105.7 Salem, and 102.7 Mannington; all Class A stations, plus two AM's 1340 and 1400 Clarksburg, both which sound horrid (bad audio).

WPDX-FM is a Class B-1, but the transmitter site is pretty far east of Clarksburg. It is almost closer to Fairmount than to Clarksburg.

WPDX AM is a daytimer on 750. Hence, no pre-sunsrise, no post-sunset.

Scott Reppert · Post by **Scott Reppert** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:03 am

On the serious side: as for Fantasia Broadcasting and Earl Judy, I worked for both (9 years with Nick, close to 9 total with Earl) and did not have a single problem with either of them while employed or till this day. As a matter of fact, I would have never gotten to the point in my career that I am now without both of them.

On the non-serious side: did anyone ever consider the sale of WZST as a means to generate funds to pump into a last minute push for John Conrad as President?