Marquee Broadcasting will pay $10.7 million for Southeastern Ohio Broadcasting’s WHIZ Media Group in Zanesville.
The deal includes CHR “Z92.7” WHIZ-FM South Zanesville, Country “Highway 103.7” WZVL Philo, Full Service 1240 WHIZ Zanesville and NBC affiliate WHIZ-TV. The seller will retain the license of Regional Mexican “La Grande 102.5” WWLG Baltimore/Columbus OH, which is operated by Radio One via LMA.
Current WHIZ Media Group President Hank Littick will enter into a two year consulting agreement with Marquee at $100,000 per year.
Original Report 4/20: The WHIZ Media Group of four radio stations and one television station serving Zanesville OH has been sold Salisbury MD based Marquee Broadcasting.
The sale will end four generations of Littick family ownership of the group, which operates CHR “Z92.7” WHIZ-FM South Zanesville, Country “Highway 103.7” WZVL Philo, Full Service 1240 WHIZ Zanesville and NBC affiliate WHIZ-TV. The company also owns the license of Regional Mexican “La Grande 102.5” WWLG Baltimore/Columbus OH, which is operated by Radio One via LMA.
Marquee, which currently owns television stations in Albany, Macon, and Toccoa GA, Bowling Green KY, and their home base of Salisbury, also owns Brokered 1190 WCRW Leesburg VA under the name Potomac Radio Group.
Wednesday morning the WHIZ Media Group announced it has sold its media properties in Zanesville to Marquee Broadcasting.
This includes NBC affiliated TV station WHIZ, which dates back to 1953 and four radio stations (WHIZ-AM and its FM transmitter, WHIZ-FM, and WZVL-FM).
WHIZ Media President, Hank Littick stated, “In four generations our family has built a wonderful group of stations during our ownership starting in the print industry and migrating to electronic media. We have been blessed with a wonderful group of employees over the years, they are the heartbeat of everything we do. We were looking for a buyer that was committed to the family atmosphere we have fostered and serving the local communities. Marquee is committed to both, and we know we can trust them to carry on our legacy to the next chapter.”
Marquee CEO Patricia Lane noted “We are excited and privileged to build upon the great foundation that the Littick family built in southeast Ohio. The WHIZ family will be a perfect addition to the Marquee family of stations.”
The sale is being submitted for FCC approval and closing is anticipated to occur later this year.
