The second half of the Tuscaloosa deal has been filed.
Townsquare will divest 99.1 WDGM Greensboro AL to Educational Media Foundation for 100.9 W265CG Tuscaloosa and $100,000. EMF will flip WDGM to its Christian AC “K-Love” network as a satellite rebroadcaster of 91.9 KLVR Middletown CA. Townsquare will use their new translator to rebroadcast an HD subchannel of 92.9 WTUG-FM Northport.
Original Report 5/3: Townsquare Media is purchasing Classic Country simulcast “Catfish Country” 102.9 WNPT-FM Marion and 1230 WTBC/100.1 W261BT Tuscaloosa AL from John Sisty Enterprises for $550,000.
To stay under the ownership limits for the market Townsquare will divest Sports “Tide 99.1” WDGM Greensboro AL to a currently unknown buyer. WTBC and WNPT-FM will join a Townsquare Tuscaloosa cluster that includes Urban 92.9 WTUG-FM Northport, Country “95.3 The Bear” WFFN Coaling, CHR “B101.7” WBEI Reform, and Gospel “790 The Truth” WTSK Tuscaloosa.
Dan 
Christian
I wonder if a format change will happen with these three stations, once the sales has been approved. I was also wondering why WNPT went dark all of a sudden. This news might explain why.
Dan <
Now that would be a great idea. Hope they’ll run with it.
Dan
One new question. Who was the buyer for WDGM 99.1 FM? Just wondering.
Dan
In closing, will these three stations get new calls, once the new owner(s) take over? Just wondering.
Dan
My thinking is this. With WNPT/WTBC possibly going Sports, the format would still be heard in T-Town but also have new listeners to the south, in my area of the world. This new combo could cover all the major sporting events that took place at the various schools and colleges in this area, bring something entertaining to the plate and have major success. This new combo would be a breath of fresh air, to this staled radio dial, if they went Sports and used these calls if they could: WSPZ 102.9 FM, 1230 AM and 100.1 FM The Sports Animal. West Alabama’s Sports Authority.
For the past few years now both WTBC and WNPT have complimented each other. Since WNPT doesn’t cover all of T-Town very well, WTBC was there to help simulcast their current program to T-Town proper. Whatever Townsquare does with these stations, after they get them, it would be wise to keep this simulcast thing going. I believe that will lead to their success.
Sports may not be on the plate for this new threesome but if WDGM is currently having success with the format, I see these three new acquisitions running with the format, once all the sales have been approved and the new owner takes over.
Dan
WDGM 99.1 FM is going to soon become K-Love radio. EMF is the secret buyer for this station. Just learned of it, while visiting the FCC web site. I’m way too smart for my own good. I figured EMF had purchased it. Glad I was right in my thinking.
I now look for the calls to be changed to: WKLT (K-Love Tuscaloosa) or WTLK (Tuscaloosa’s K-Love), once EMF takes over and they’re able to snag either one of them.
WNPT/WTBC will go Sports, under the new WSPZ calls, once that sale goes through. You heard it here first.
Dan <
The WKLT calls aren’t available as a station in Kalkaska, MI has had the calls since the 1970s and uses them as part of their branding. I wouldn’t be surprised if the WDGM calls stay on 99.1 (or WDGM and WNPT swap calls) even after EMF takes over (they bought WPFF in Sturgeon Bay a couple of years ago and they didn’t touch those calls)
Just got word, from a reliable source, that 99.1 FM is fixing to become K-Love, with Sports moving to WNPT. Now checking with my source to see what will become of WTBC. When I get the word, will pass it along. So far my predictions have been right on the money. Hope my prediction on WTBC doing Sports will be right too. If it is, then Dan will be a three for three on these predictions.
Dan
My three for three didn’t work out. Here’s what the future has for WTBC radio. Taken from the WVUA TV station web site:
“Catfish Country” remains on 100.1 FM and on WTBC’s 1230 AM.
Dan <
This Thursday, The Tide will be moving to 102.9 FM. It’s still unknown when K-Love will take over the 99.1 FM spot. WLXQ will be the calls, once they do. I wonder if the calls on WNPT will soon be WDGM, once the flip happens?
Dan
As of 3 P.M:
K-Love is now heard at 99.1
The Tide is now heard at 102.9 FM
Catfish Country is still on at 1230 AM/100.1 FM
Dan