Following the closing of their purchase of Hip Hop/R&B “96.9 The Beat” KQRB Effingham/Topeka KS, Many Signals Communications intends to flip the station to Hot AC using the KOZA call letters.
Buyer Justin Fluke told his company’s MSCNews.net, “This opportunity popped up right in our backyard and fits perfectly with the landscape and geography of our MSC Radio Group. We couldn’t be more excited to expand our reach and create new opportunities for our advertisers and audience while opening new doors in the Topeka/Lawrence markets.” Fluke continues, “Not only will the Hot AC format be a unique addition to our existing group of local stations, but it will be a music format currently not offered in the Topeka/Lawrence markets. We are thrilled to take on the title of being the only locally owned radio station in the Capitol City!
The company states that they have not yet finalized on a brand name for the new format, but none of the current KQRB staffers will remain following the sale.
Original Report 3/29: Donald and Denise Sherman’s Intrepid Companies has sold Hip Hop/R&B “96.9 The Beat” KQRB Effingham/Topeka KS to Justin Fluke’s KNZA Inc. for $670,000.
As part of the deal, the groups agree to coordinate on a call letter change ahead of closing.
Intrepid had acquired then 96.9 KDVB Hoyt KS from Cumulus Media in March 2021 for $300,000 and constructed its move-in into the Topeka market. The company launched “The Beat” in July 2022. Sherman previously owned stations in Wichita KS and Wichita Falls TX.
Fluke acquired the 92% of KNZA Inc. he did not own in October 2021. The company is now operating under the name Many Signals Communications. The company owns Oldies 1230 KTNC/107.1 K296HK and AC “Sunny 101.3” KLZA Falls City NE, Full Service Country 92.1 KMZA Seneca KS, Country 93.7 KAIR-FM Horton KS, and Full Service Country 103.9 KNZA Hiawatha KS.
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Brady Chaffin
That didn’t take long, did it?
Topeka should have enough demographics to support an urban station, but KPRS 103.3 used to get numbers there, too. Plus, Topeka has always been a really tough place to make money.
But, KNZA, Inc. doesn’t do Urban formats. My guess is, with a call letter change imminent, a format change will also occur? With the station licensed to Effingham (50mi north of Topeka) they will target their current company footprint? There are some format holes to fill in the Topeka market, with Urban being one of them. But, KNZA, Inc. simply doesn’t do Urban formats.