In a deal not yet filed with the FCC, Bill Yuhnke’s Kenmore Broadcasting Communications will acquire News/Talk “Hometown 1340” WLVL/105.3 W287CV Lockport NY from Culver Communications.

Yuhnke will add WLVL to his Buffalo NY area holdings that includes Standards 1440 WEBR Niagara Falls and his Liberty Taxi business. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The deal marks the retirement of Culver Communications owner Dick Greene. Greene worked at multiple Buffalo stations including WYSL, WPHD, WGR and WEBR before moving into ownership with WLVL and 1230 WECK Cheektowaga, which he sold in 2017.

A major change is brewing in radio ownership in Western New York pending final approval by the FCC expected sometime in the next few weeks.

Broadcasting legend Dick Greene, who has owned Lockport-based WLVL 1340 AM and 105.3 FM
since 1981 and has been in the radio business since 1968, has reached a purchase agreement to sell his Culver Communications Corp.-owned station to Liberty Taxi legend and WEBR AM 1440 owner Bill Yuhnke (Kenmore Broadcasting Communications).

The deal will expand Yuhnke’s bold venture into the radio world where he currently serves up adult standards and lively talk and specialty shows on WEBR 1440 AM.

“I am very excited to have this opportunity to broaden my radio footprint and continue to deliver for the people of Western New York, my home,” says Yuhnke who has continued his taxi business at a furious pace despite the challenges that were presented by Uber and Lyft transportation services.

“Innovation is the key to success,” says Yuhnke who has developed his taxi business into a
strong rival to Uber and Lyft in the transportation of people with various needs.

For Dick Greene, who began his radio career in 1968 at WYSL AM/WPHD FM and later with WGR AM and WEBR AM. He later put WGMM FM Elmira/Corning on the air and recently sold WECK AM. After his legendary radio career, Dick says the time has come at age 78 to retire and maybe do some traveling to see his out-of-town children.

“I’ve been talking to Bill (Yuhnke) for some time about selling and the talks got serious last January,” says Greene. “We finally signed a purchase agreement on Sept. 9 and are now awaiting FCC approval. We currently serve between 20,000 and 25,000 listeners a week with our news talk and community radio programming and it has served the people well over all these years. I think that kind of radio is still valued by many people in our market.”

Greene added that he thinks Yuhnke is the perfect fit to take over the reins of WLVL and thinks he will improve the signal and keep offering listeners what they want to hear at the stations he has operated for over 40 years.

“I think Bill is a great person and is committed to this area,” said Greene who lives in Kenmore and will be listening to the new ownership’s programming once the FCC gives final approval.

Greene considers among his greatest accomplishments were giving career starts to many current radio personalities including Susan Rose, Stephanie Miller, Debbie Stamp and Mike Whalen.

Dick Greene has left his mark in the radio business and he is leaving at the top of his game.