Radio Disney has found a buyer for 1560 WQEW New York in the late Harold Campings’ Family Radio.
For $12.95 million, Family Radio programming will return to New York City for the first time since the organization sold 94.7 WFME Newark, NJ to Cumulus for $40 million and 106.3 Mount Kisco, NY in 2013. At the time of the sale, Family made its intent known that it wished to acquire an AM station in the market.
Disney has operated WQEW since December 1998, when it began operating the station via LMA. It converted that lease to an outright purchase from The New York Times Company in 2007 for $40 million.
Will they keep 106.3 FM or sell it?
On the surface, it looks like a good price and good use for the frequency.
I predicted this would happen as soon as WQEW went up for sale. My prediction was right.
Will they rename the station WFME to match the long time equity of their original New York station?
Renaming 1560 as WFME is a given. They restored the WKDN calls on the former WPEN 950, and are usually very protective with their callsigns.
I’m curious as to if Family Radio keeps 106.3 to fill whatever coverage holes exist with 1560’s signal in that part of the market.