Greg Jensen’s Hometown Broadcasting is acquiring Connoisseur Media’s stations in Austin and Albert Lea MN.
Connoisseur will sell News/Talk 1480 KAUS and Country “US 99.9” KAUS-FM Austin and News/Talk 1450 KATE and AC “94.9 The Breeze” KCPI-FM Albert Lea. Terms of the deal were not yet disclosed.
Jensen, who has previously owned other stations across Minnesota, said, ““I want to give a special thanks to Jeff Warshaw, Founder and CEO of Connoisseur Media, and Mike Orlandella of Kalil & Co., Inc. for bringing this transaction together. We look forward to serving our communities and surrounding areas with hometown ideas, local broadcasting and a commitment to being an active part of the communities we serve. We also look forward to hearing from our listeners and community members and building these stations together.”
Connoisseur CEO Jeff Warshaw commented, “The Austin and Albert Lea market area was not a market where we felt Connoisseur could make a meaningful difference with the focus and approach we bring to radio. When we reach that conclusion, we look for strong local operators who can take the stations forward and continue serving the communities. We have been talking with Greg Jensen for some time and have been impressed by his commitment to the community and his desire to return to radio. We believe he is the right person to lead these stations into their next chapter.”
Connoisseur says the sale reflects their ongoing strategy to refine its portfolio and focus its resources on markets where the company believes it can make a meaningful impact. The company also owns stations in Mankato and Redwood Falls MN.
