Following its announced acquisition of Scripps’ Boise and Tucson clusters earlier this week, Lotus Communications has announced it has found buyers for its two necessary divestments in Tucson.
Family Life Broadcasting will acquire Conservative Talk 104.1 KQTH Tucson. The station will become the group’s third station in the market alongside 830 KFLT and 88.5 KFLT-FM Tucson.
Bustos Media will acquire Rhythmic Oldies “106.3 The Groove” KTGV Oracle. The company purchased Conservative Talk “1030 The Voice” KVOI Cortaro last month.
Following the closing of these deals, Lotus will operate Regional Mexican “Caliente 92.1” KCMT, AC “94.9 Mix-FM” KMXZ, Classic Rock 96.1 KLPX, Alternative “Rock 102.1” KFMA and Spanish AC “La Buena 94.3” 990 KTKT/94.3 K232FD and Sports “ESPN Tucson” 1490 KFFN/104.9 K285DL in the Tucson market.
No terms were disclosed for these deals.
Arizona Lotus Corp., a subsidiary of Lotus Communications Corp., has reached an agreement to sell radio station KQTH(FM), Tucson, Arizona to Family Life Broadcasting, Inc.
Arizona Lotus Corp. currently operates four radio stations in the Tucson market and has purchased four Tucson stations from The E.W. Scripps Company. In order to meet the Federal Communications Commission rule that caps station ownership in single markets, Lotus will immediately divest of KQTH (104.1 FM) and KTGV (106.3 FM).
Lotus Communications Corp. was established in 1962 and is one of the largest privately owned radio station groups in the United States. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Lotus owns and operates 35 radio stations. The radio stations serve the Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, Las Vegas, Reno, Sacramento and Tucson radio markets.
The Buyer, Family Life Broadcasting, Inc., is an Arizona not-for-profit corporation headed by Dr. Randy Carlson. Family Life Broadcasting, Inc. also owns radio stations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
KQTH(FM) operates at 104.1 MHz, with 3.0 kW at 328’ HAAT.
KALIL & CO., INC. is the exclusive broker for this transaction.
Eric Jon Magnuson
104.1’s signal appears to cover the immediate Tucson area better than 88.5’s (which is more to the southeast). Still, since Family Life is based locally–and since there’s also a translator already being used there (Oro Valley-licensed K269FV)–I could see the new acquisition not being used for a simulcast.