Draper Media is purchasing Forever Media’s stations in Wilmington DE and Easton MD for $11 million.
Draper, which currently owns six brands in the Salisbury/Ocean City MD market, will acquire News/Talk 1150 WDEL Wilmington/101.7 WDEL-FM Canton NJ, CHR 93.7 WSTW Wilmington, Country 103.7 WXCY-FM Havre de Grace MD/96.9 W245CJ Wilmington in the Wilmington market and Country 94.3 WINX-FM St. Michaels and AC 96.7 WCEI-FM Easton.
Led by Molly Draper Russell, Draper Media focused solely on its television stations in the Salisbury market until purchasing what became Hot AC 102.5 WBOC-FM Princess Anne MD in 2015. The company would then add MTS Broadcasting’s stations in Cambridge MD in 2018 and Adams Radio Group’s Salisbury cluster in a pair of deals in June 2021 and December 2021. In addition to WBOC-FM, the company owns Rock “93.5 The Beach” WZBH Georgetown DE, Classic Country 100.9 WAAI-FM Hurlock, Country “Coast Country 103.9/106.3” WRDE-FM Berlin/WCEM-FM Cambridge, Classic Rock “Big 107.7” WGBG-FM Fruitland, and Oldies “The Duck” 107.1 WTDK Federalsburg/104.3 W282AW Salisbury/105.1 W286BB Ocean Pines along with the CBS, NBC, Fox and Telemundo affiliates in the Salisbury/Ocean City market.
Draper Russell said, “We’re excited to add these stations, each with a long history of serving their local communities, to our company. Our family’s history of service through free over-the-air broadcasting goes back nearly 60 years. The addition of these stations fits perfectly into our late founder, my father, Thomas H. Draper’s motto that it is our moral obligation to serve our audience and advertising partners.”
Forever Media President Lynn Deppen commented, “We are proud of the legacy these stations have built in their communities and grateful to our dedicated teams who have served listeners with passion and professionalism. We are confident that Draper Media shares our commitment to local broadcasting and will continue to provide outstanding service to audiences and advertisers alike as these stations enter an exciting new chapter.”
Following this and other pending sales, Forever Media will still operate fifteen stations in York and suburban Pittsburgh PA, Cumberland and Salisbury MD, and southern Delaware.
