WQAM and WLQY Sold

Author: SHERYL WUDUNN Herald Business Writer
Edition: FINAL
Section: BUSINESS
Page: 7D

Sunshine Wireless Company said Monday it has bought WQAM radio from Storz Broadcasting of Omaha for $2.85 million, giving the company an AM equivalent to its other radio station in Miami, country music station WKQS (99.9 KISS FM).

In order to comply with a Federal Communications Commission limit of one FM and one AM station per market, Hollywood-based Sunshine will sell WLQY in Hollywood to Global Broadcasting Inc. for $1.5 million. That station plays big band music.

 In the most recent Arbitron ratings, WQAM, which plays country music, had a 0.9 percent share of the Miami radio broadcast market, while WLQY had a 1.2 percent share.

 WQAM's stronger AM signal reaches more people. That, combined with the station's target audience, the 25-to-54 age group, should be more attractive to advertisers, said Steve Williamson, Sunshine's promotion director.

 At a press conference, Sunshine vice president Jeffrey D. Greenhawt said he doesn't expect to change WQAM's format. "We won't play with it much," he said.

 Both he and Dan N. Cohen, Sunshine president, want to keep the identities of their two country and western stations separate. Characterizing KISS as offering "continuous country," Cohen said "WQAM has more personality." WQAM is a full-service station, offering more news, advertisements and other information throughout the day, Sunshine officials explained.

Copyright (c) 1985 The Miami Herald
Record Number: 8502180788

Previous

Back to Articles

Next