Report: WCLG to be bought by WV Radio.

[ashton]

Dave Hickman ‏@dphickman1 8h
Why are #WVU and IMG partnering with tiny WZST? Because WV Radio is out and WCLG is being sold to ... wait for it ... WV Radio.
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[Tom Taggart]

Understand it is an LMA, but still raises questions of market concentration--given that LMA's are counted the same as full ownership.

The Morgantown market presumably would be big enough to allow one owner to control 4 FM's and two AM's.

[JKF18]

I can not believe this is legal. Even if WV Radio licenses it under AJG, or any other name they can come up with. In NCWV, this leaves how many broadcasters - Fantasia/Fairmont and their new owner, Tschudy who can't even keep WPDX on the air (is WPDX-AM even on anymore?), Results/Burbach who can't even keep their stations on the air (license surrendered for WOBG, Rock 105.7 sounds at low power for years now, phone line quality of 1340), Withers (who automates WETT from a closet in the WDTV building?), and God knows how many religious stations and their repeaters. Every decent signal besides WPDX, is owned by WVRC!?!?!

[Tom Taggart]

Correction: Morgantown market would allow 7 stations, 4 in one service (well, 4 FM's for most folks, 3 AM's).
Under the rules, stations licensed to the market (Monongalia, Preston, Taylor, Marion and Harrison counties are counted to make up the totals, stations with a "significant presence" are also included...e.g., those with a reportable share in the market from out of county. The Buckhannon and Elkins stations are in a different corporation from WV Radio. Would need to have a complete Arbitron report to know if any show in the market.

Remember that WFGM, WKKW, and WFBY are all in a trust for the children; WV radio and WV Radio Elkins are owned 50/50 by John and his brother David.

[JKF18]

I've often wondered why the FCC doesn't investigate ownership caps in smaller markets like this. Ok, so if WV Radio Corp wants to license each station to a different family member, trust, or family dog - they can do so as long as the principal "owner" is different?

Format changes? I think we could see WAJR on FM in the Morgantown area - possibly 93.1 or 100.1. Should 100.1 change to WAJR-FM, I would guess oldies remain on 1300 AM and 93.1 being the new home for CLG.

Oh, and WPDX am has been granted a silent status. Yet, they still identify the AM when it's automated. When they are live, only the FM is mentioned.

[Tom Taggart]

$1.8 million, to AJG Descendants trust, immediate time brokerage. Transfer app. filed 15th.

See Charleston Gazette story:

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201308140129

[JKF18]

The entire article is a prime example of how a radio monopoly can be created. Legal or not.

How many people are actually on the air on the WV Radio/Agnes Greer stations from say, Cumberland to Morgantown to Elkins? The reason I ask is most of the midday female talent sounds like the same person - be it on WFGM, WELK-FM, or Magic. There is also a voicetracked weekend personality on 100.1 The Wolf in the Cumberland market that sounds an awful lot like Lacy Neff - but at a different pitch.

[Airwaves]

dunno.... Kinda sad to see WCLG swallowed up....
I always admired the station for its format and for
being "the other station" in Morgantown back in the day!
On trips up '79 it was fun seeing when you
could first pick up 'CLG. Hope it does not turn into a
watered down cookie cutter. Sigh....
(I suppose I am showing my age!)