The Cumulus Media bankruptcy has led to the demise of Classic Country “107.7 The Lake” KRWP Stockton MO.
Cumulus took KRWP off the air last week and terminated all of its staff. The station featured a Full Service Classic Country format with all the small town elements such as Tradio and an emphasis on high school sports. The station also had specialty bluegrass programming. Cumulus had previously indicated during the comment period of the now-enacted Main Studio Rule removal that it would operate KRWP out of its Kansas City facility some 100 miles away.
Cumulus had purchased KRWP for $825,000 in 2004 as part of a plan to move AC “Majic 107.7” KMAJ-FM Carbondale/Topeka KS into the Kansas City market which would have seen KRWP downgraded from a Class C3 to Class A. The KMAJ move was scrapped in 2006 after Cumulus Media’s purchase of Susquehanna Media which maxed the company out on the amount of FMs it could’ve owned in Kansas City.
Well that sucks.
I am shocked, yes SHOCKED to find that eliminating the Main Studio Rule is resulting in people losing their jobs.
(That was sarcasm btw)
Who would EVER have thought a broadcasting company would take advantage of the situation to do that? Round up the usual suspects!!!
I know it’s tongue-in-cheek, but this has nothing to do with the main studio rule. While they indicated they’d run it out of KC, they’re actually turning the license in.
Might the license get sold to someone (perhaps local in the area) who might bring the station back to the airwaves? Or has the license been turned-back to the FCC?
I was surprised to find out Cumulus was operating the station. From what I’d heard, the previous operator continued to program the station after Cumulus bought it. Cumulus was only supplying the one manager required by law. Not sure when that changed, but, apparently, it did.