With the application to the FCC for the transfer of AC 95.5 WBOP Buffalo Gap and Classic Country “Real Country 96.9” WSIG Mount Jackson, VA to Saga, we now know how the deal will play out.
Saga will pay $1.335 million for the two stations, with $885,000 attributed to WSIG and $450,000 to WBOP. At closing the license for WBOP will be immediately donated to Liberty University in exchange for 101.3 W267BA Harrisonburg. Liberty has applied to operate WBOP as a satellite of Christian AC “88.3 The Journey” WRVL Lynchburg.
Original Report 5/5: Saga Communications is continuing its growth in Harrisonburg, VA with the addition of two FMs from Gamma Broadcasting, LLC.
Saga is adding AC 95.5 WBOP Buffalo Gap and Classic Country “Real Country 96.9” WSIG Mount Jackson for an undisclosed price. The deal comes a month after Saga acquired VerStandig Broadcasting’s five stations and one translator in the market for $9.64 million.
The purchase of Gamma’s two stations appears to place Saga one FM over the ownership limit in Harrisonburg. With only 17 signals attributed to the market according to the BIA/Kelsey market report included in the VerStandig deal, Saga can only own six stations (four on one band) in the market. This acquisition will give Saga five FMs and 2 AMs in the Harrisonburg market. How they plan to work around this should become clearer when the deal is filed with the FCC.
The deal was brokered by Kalil & Co.
Eric Jon Magnuson 
elcartero 
If they’re going by Communities of License, they may not count against the Harrisonburg metro: Mount Jackson is in Shenandoah County (which may be part of the Winchester metro), while Buffalo Gap is in Augusta County (which may be non-metro).
And WBOP’s 60 dBu contour is indeed mainly in Augusta County, only rimshotting Rockingham. It will most likely become the second signal for “Fresh”. Meanwhile, if they do have to give up a station, look for WTGD (1.8 in the latest book) to go. Or if it stays, to flip to New Country, as WKCY (13.5) could use some competition.
Yes, but the BIA market report I linked from the Verstandig deal does consider WBOP and WSIG to be in the Harrisonburg market. Perhaps there’s a way with a COL change they can adjust that, or Saga has plans to move one of the stations over to their Charlottesville cluster. Until we see the FCC filing it is all speculation.
Per today’s Tom Taylor Now (at http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=78b390ff9f5b002e3f050238c&id=596bf3aefe), Saga plans to spin off WBOP (possibly to BBN)–and is paying “about $1.3 million”.