Radio-One has announced the sale of Urban Talk/Smooth Jazz 1200 WCHB Taylor/Detroit MI to Crawford Broadcasting for an undisclosed price.
WCHB will become Crawford’s fourth station in the Detroit market joining Christian Preaching “560 The Word” WRDT Monroe, Gospel 1340 WEXL Royal Oak/96.7 W244D Detroit, and Christian AC “103.5 The Light” WMUZ Detroit.
Mildred Gaddis, who currently is heard live from 10am-1pm and replayed from 4-7pm on WCHB, will move to Radio-One Gospel “Praise 102.7” WPZR for middays. She will also provide news cut-ins on on Urban AC “105.9 Kiss-FM” WDMK Detroit. The syndicated Tom Joyner will continue to be heard on current WCHB simulcaster 99.9 W260CB Hamtramck/105.9 WDMK-HD2 Detroit.
Radio One has agreed to sell 15kW News/Talk WCHB-AM (1200) Detroit to Crawford Broadcasting, while shifting anchor talent to new frequencies. The deal is expected to close within the next 90 days. “The Mildred Gaddis Show,” which has been a staple in Detroit on WCHB, will move to co-owned Gospel WPZR-FM from 10am to noon following closing. Syndicated Tom Joyner, which is simulcast on WCHB will continue on 99.9 FM, weekdays from 6-10am.
Gaddis, who is commemorating 40 years in radio, will also join the unique hometown show, “Mason and COCO in the Morning” handling daily personality news cut-ins on WDMK-FM (Kiss 105.9 FM).
“To get what you’ve never had, you have to do what you’ve never done,” said Radio One Detroit VP/General Manager Kathy Stinehour. “We have sold our AM talk radio facility and are proud of the heritage role the station has held in Detroit. We view this as an opportunity to move the WCHB voice to a larger FM platform and intend to super-serve our listeners with urban music, community engagement and inspiration-what we do best.”
Following the completion of the sale of WCHB, Radio One Detroit will become a three cluster market of FM Urban stations consisting of KISS 105.9, Hot 107.5 and Praise 102.7.
This will probably mean another religious station for Detroit.