Armada Media’s AMC Partners Escanaba has agreed to purchase Sovereign Communications’ stations in Marquette and Iron Mountain/Escanaba MI for an undisclosed amount.

The eight stations in the deal will join the Terry Shockley and Chris Bernier led company’s “Radio Results Network” along with their other stations in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Shockley and Bernier also lead Armada Media Partners that owns stations in Western Nebraska/Northeastern Colorado, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The stations included in the deal are Country 92.3 WJPD Ishpeming, Rock “94 Rock” 94.1 WUPK Marquette, Oldies 99.5 WNGE Negaunee, and News/Talk simulcast 1240 WIAN Ishpeming/1320 WDMJ Marquette serving the Marquette market and “93 Rock” 93.1 WIMK Iron Mountain, Hot AC “Star 94.3” WZNL Norway, and Talk 1450 WMIQ Iron Mountain serving Iron Mountain.

Bill Gleich’s Sovereign Communications will retain its seven other stations in the Newberry and Sault Sainte Marie portions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The company, which also includes long-time major market programmer Tim Sabean as a partner, had agreed to purchase Talk/Standards 680 WDBC and Country “Kix Country 104.7” WYKX Escanaba from KMB Broadcasting for $866,000 in 2017, but the deal never closed. The stations were resold to Aurora Media this January for $400,000.

Armada Media Partners, based in Fond du Lac, Wis., has announced the purchase of Sovereign Communications radio stations based in Marquette and Iron Mountain.

Armada Media Partners currently owns and operates two Upper Peninsula radio stations: Bay Cities Radio, a five station group based in Marinette and Menominee, and Radio Results Network, a 10 station group based in Marquette, Escanaba and Manistique.

The stations in the Marquette area included in the transaction are: 92.3 WJPD, 94.1 WUPK, 1320 AM WDMJ, 1240AM WIAN and 99.5 WNGE. Stations in Iron Mountain include: WIMK 93.1, WMIQ AM 1450 & 94.3 WZNL. The additional eight radio stations will be operated under the Radio Results Network umbrella.

“We are extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished in the past ten years with these great radio stations,” says Sovereign Communication President and Owner Bill Curtis. “The opportunity to allow these stations to be transitioned to a new ownership group like Armada Media was too perfect to pass up. We remain committed to Sault Ste. Marie, Newberry and the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. That will not change.”

“We are excited to be able to expand our coverage even further as the premier media company in Central Upper Michigan. Sovereign Communications has a tremendous group of radio station with a long heritage of serving the local community,” says Radio Results Network General Manager Jesse Huff. “We plan to continue what has made us successful in the past…and that is providing local news, sports, weather, and personalities that live, work and love the U.P. This now gives us 23 radio stations in the Central U.P. that are each committed to great local radio and serving as a resource for the communities in which we serve. We now have even more resources and opportunities to offer our listeners and advertisers.”

Huff will continue to lead operations for Armada Media and Radio Results Network’s original 10 stations along with the newly acquired 8 radio stations.

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This is to announce that a contract has been signed and an application is being filed with the FCC for the transfer of eight radio stations from Sovereign Communications, LLC to AMC Partners Escanaba, LLC. These stations operate in Iron Mountain- Escanaba and Marquette regions, all in Northern Michigan.

The Seller, Sovereign Communications, LLC, is a Michigan-based company headed by Bill Gleich. Sovereign Communications, LLC also owns radio stations in the Newberry and Sault Sainte Marie regions, all in Northern Michigan.

The Buyer, AMC Partners Escanaba, LLC, is a Wisconsin-based company headed by Terry Shockley and Chris Bernier.

AMC Partners Escanaba, LLC will be acquiring the following stations from Sovereign Communications, LLC:

Iron Mountain-Escanaba Area Stations:
WIMK-FM operates at 93.1 MHz, with 100.00 kW at 591’ HAAT. WZNL-FM operates at 94.3 MHz, with 2.55 kW at 627’ HAAT. WMIQ-AM operates at 1450 kHz, with 1.0 kW day and 1.0 kW night.

Marquette Area Stations:
WJPD-FM operates at 92.3 MHz, with 100.00 kW at 509’ HAAT. WUPK-FM operates at 94.1 MHz, with 4.4 kW at 381’ HAAT. WNGE-FM operates at 99.5 MHz, with 3.6 kW at 430’ HAAT. WDMJ-AM operates at 1320 kHz, with 5.0 kW day and 0.135 kW night. WIAN-AM operates at 1240 kHz, with 1.0 kW day and 1.0 kW night.

KALIL & CO., INC. is the exclusive broker for this transaction.