Magnum Media has agreed to acquire Sparta-Tomah Broadcasting’s three stations near La Crosse WI.
Magnum will acquire Country “Cow 97” WCOW-FM Sparta, Sports simulcast “ESPN La Crosse” WKLJ/102.1 W271CM Sparta and 105.5 WFBZ Trempealeau WI for $1.375 million.
The deal requires a waiver of the ownership caps as it will give Magnum six FMs and two AMs in the La Crosse market with the current subcap in the market being four on one band. In the waiver requiest, Magnum says approval of the deal would give it 51% of the revenue in the market by combining its 30.6% share and Sparta‑Tomah’s $20.5% share in BIA’s 2024 data. Mid-West Family Broadcasting has 41%, Robinson Corporation 7%, and Civic Media less than 1%.
Original Report 8/5: The stations will join Magnum’s existing holdings in the La Crosse market: Classic Rock 94.5 WTMB Tomah, Classic Hits 102.7 WKBH-FM Onalaska, Hot AC “Mix 96.1/97.9” WLXR Tomah/W250AZ La Crosse, Country “Kicks 106.3” WQCC La Crosse, Alternative “Alt 107.1” W296EH, and Classic Country “Bog Country” 1460 WBOG Tomah/101.3 W267CO Sparta.
Buyer Reid Magnum stated, “In June, when my Dad was inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame, he spoke in the video about WCOW being the very first radio station he was ever in at age 4. His uncle, Len DeSomer, was an announcer at WCOW in 1967. On top of that, my Mom and Dad sat with Pink Rice at the first WBA dinner they attended in 1990.”
