Update 1/1: WLFM made its flip to Spanish CHR “La Mega 87.7” at midnight. Ohio Media Watch has all the details regarding the flip.
Original Report 12/11: Cleveland Scene reports that Murray Hill Broadcasting has leased AAA “87.7 The Sound” WLFM-LP Cleveland.
The station will be leased to Cincinnati based TSJ Media, who will flip the station to Spanish CHR “La Mega 87.7“. TSJ owns a group of Spanish language newspapers and radio stations in the midwest including “La Mega 97.7” WOXY Mason/Cincinnati and “La Mega 103.1” WVKO-FM Johnstown/Columbus.
By now most of you have heard the news… We have been sold and will be changing to a Latin format beginning with the New Year…
— 877cleveland (@877cleveland) December 11, 2013
Need to clarify: station was not sold, it is a programming partnership beginning Jan 1 which will include a switch to a Latin format.
— 877cleveland (@877cleveland) December 11, 2013
WLFM-LP debuted the locally oriented “Sound” format in July 2012, as one of the so-called Franken-FM’s. These are low-powered analog television signals operating on Channel 6 using the fact that its audio signal on 87.75 is able to be tuned by many radios. These signals are required to convert to digital operation by September 1, 2015 at which point they will no longer be able to operate as a radio station.
A “programming partnership” by what that tweet intimated is pretty much a local marketing agreement, right?