The sale of WPZR from Urban One to Educational Media Foundation was filed with the FCC giving more details on the sale.
EMF will pay $12,229,000 for WPZR and send three translators to Urban One. 93.5 W228CJ Detroit (serving Ferndale, Hamtramck, and downtown Detroit), 93.5 W228CU Riverview (covering Allen Park, Melvindale, and Southgate), and 98.3 W252BX Detroit (covering Dearborn) will be sent the other way to become part of the Gospel “Detroit Praise Network” along with 99.9 W260CB Detroit (covering Birmingham, Ferndale, Southfield & Troy).
Original Report 5/1: Educational Media Foundation has filled in another one of its missing major markets for Christian AC “K-Love” by acquiring Gospel “Praise 102.7” WPZR Mount Clemens/Detroit from Urban One for $12.7 million and three translators.
Urban One will pair the three translators (not specfied in the press release) it is acquiring with their 99.9 W260CB Detroit to create “The Detroit Praise Network” and continue the Gospel programming via 105.9 WDMK-HD2. W260CB recently dropped its Urban Oldies “Soul 99” format to simulcast WPZR.
Urban One, Inc. (Nasdaq: UONEK; UONE) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell the assets of one of its Detroit, Michigan, radio stations, WPZR-FM (102.7 FM), to Educational Media Foundation, of California, for total consideration of $12.7 million.
As part of the deal, Urban One will receive 3 FM translators that service the Detroit metropolitan area, and these signals will be combined with its existing FM translator to multicast the Detroit Praise Network. The closing on the sale of WPZR-FM is subject to customary conditions, prorations and adjustments, including approval from the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”). Urban One expects the transaction to close shortly after final consent from the FCC.
Urban One CEO Alfred Liggins stated: “This is a good deal for Urban One, as it enables us to monetize an asset at a very attractive multiple, while at the same time allowing us to continue to serve our community of listeners who value our new Detroit Praise Network of stations.”
xmusicmatt 
Eric Jon Magnuson 
Nathan Obral 
Mark W. 
Smart business move for Urban One they get a few translators to keep their format alive and make some $$$$$ EMF gets what they want – a non translator signal in Detroit.
Unfortunately, the FCC site is a little on the fritz right now, but it looks like this station’s signal is a bit to the northeast–and doesn’t cover the core metro quite as well as its soon-to-be-former sisters. Still, it’s significantly better than the outlets that Smile FM operates nearby.
Part of that is to accommodate WCPZ/102.7, itself a big class B in Sandusky, Ohio.
Mt. Clemens / Clinton Twp. is no farther from Sandusky, OH than Southfield / Oak Park (from where many Detroit FMs transmit).
True, WCPZ and WPZR clash across Monroe County – particularly shoreline areas.
Locally, the biggest factor with regard to areal coverage is 102.9 WWWW-FM in Ann Arbor. These two stations have long been short-spaced by modern FCC standards. As a result, WPZR has little to no useful coverage across Livingston County & Washtenaw County – the former of which is included in the Detroit Nielsen MSA. Indoor reception in far western portions of Wayne & Oakland County, as well as southern Wayne County, can also get a little hairy due to TX distance and adjacent channel interference.
Still, moving from a series of translators to WPZR will be a big upgrade for K-Love. All of Macomb County, most of Oakland County, and the NE side of the city of Detroit will get excellent reception now.
There is a CP to relocate the TX to the same tower presently used by (soon to be former sister) WDMK and WDRQ. This should improve reception across Wayne County, including Detroit’s west side, considerably. There will be a null toward the west to prevent increased interference to WWWW-FM. Of course, how nulls are plotted on paper don’t always match reality once the facilities are built and placed into service. Will be interesting to see if the CP ever makes it to air, and if so, how the interference zone changes.
How long till EMF buys in Boston? Boston doesn’t have a Christian AC or CHR except the programming on 590, which is owned by Salem.