Lynn Martin’s LM Communications has applied to acquire Americana “96.1 The Hound” WZNN Paris and Classic Country “105.5 Hank-FM” WLXO Mount Sterling KY from Charles Cohn’s Clarity Communications Inc. for $550,000.
The deal, which will require a waiver of the FCC’s ownership limits, will see the stations join an LM cluster in Lexington that includes “Classic Rock 92.1” WBVX Carlisle, Classic Hits “Kiss 96.9” WGKS Stamping Ground, Hot AC “Hits 106.3” WCDA Versailles, Hip Hop “107.9 The Beat” WBTF Midway, and Sports “ESPN 1300/92.5” WLXG/W223CV Lexington.
In its waiver request, LM states that adding the two stations would increase its share of local radio revenue from 19% to 26%. It would still trail iHeartMedia’s 56% share, while Cumulus would remain at 13% of the $13.1 million in local revenue recorded in 2025.
The two Clarity stations have been closely intertwined with LM’s stations with programming sliding between the two companies such as WLXO’s former Classic Hits format being absorbed by WGKS in 2020 and WZNN’s programming also being heard on two LM stations in West Virginia.
