The one time king of Cincinnati radio is making a move back in town.
Randy Michaels’ Radioactive LLC is purchasing Spanish CHR “Mega 97.7” WOXY Mason from Lazo Media for $1.8 million. The Class A signal covers the suburban areas between Cincinnati and Dayton. The signal is best known from its 1983-2005 run as Alternative “97X”, which was famously depicted in the movie “Rain Man“.
Michaels run in Cincinnati began programming CHR “Q102” WKRQ in 1975 before moving to the same role at 700 WLW, where he also worked on-air. He was then part of the ownership group that would acquire WLW from Taft Broadcasting in 1983. That group would be folded into Jacor in 1986 with Michaels as VP/Programming until rising to CEO in 1993. Following Jacor’s 1999 acquisition by Clear Channel, Michaels would become Chairman/CEO until his 2002 exit operating both from his office in Covington KY right across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. Michaels would later serve as CEO of LocalTV LLC, Tribune Broadcasting and Merlin Media.
Radioactive LLC also owns 92.5 WBLH Black River NY, 101.9 WKFC North Corbin KY, and 102.9 WPBK Crab Orchard KY. Those stations are all leased to third parties to operate.
Thom Moon 
Marty Bender 
Brent 
Lance Venta
Randy and partners didn’t buy WLW from Taft Broadcasting. They bought it from L. Joe Scallan’s Mariner Communications that was going through bankruptcy proceedings. Mariner had bought it from Charlie Murdock’s Queen City Communications, which bought it from AVCO when that firm jettisoned all its broadcast properties.
Go, Randy!.
That Mariner deal with WLW also included an FM:
WSKS, Hamilton, Ohio
Does anyone know what format 97.7 FM will become on October 1st?? I’m hoping alternative again like it used to be or like 107.1 Channel Z FM was back in the 1990s
The sale of WOXY has yet to be approved by the FCC or close. I would expect a Mega simulcast to continue until then.