Five La Crosse Stations Sold, Two Go Non-Commercial (Updated)

Two FM radio stations in the La Crosse market are due to switch to non-commercial formats as Mississippi Valley Broadcasters’ group of five stations, doing business as the La Crosse Radio Group, is split up among three buyers.

Magnum Communications announced Wednesday that it is buying three of the stations, while FCC filings show two others are going to separate Christian broadcasters:

• Country-formatted “Kicks 106” (WQCC/106.3) will go to Magnum
• Soft Oldies “MeTV FM” (KQEG/102.7 La Crescent) will go to Magnum
• “Today’s Talk 1490” (WLFN La Crosse) will go to Magnum
• “Classic Rock 100.1” (WKBH-FM West Salem) will go to the Educational Media Foundation for $400,000
• Adult Contemporary station “Magic 105” (WLXR-FM/104.9 La Crosse) will go to the Salvation Poem Foundation for $300,000

Magnum’s purchase price for the three stations it is buying is $1.4 million, according to an asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC. The deal also includes “certain equipment and contract rights” associated with WKBH and WLXR, including HD Radio equipment and iBiquity licenses.

Separately, Magnum is buying K250AZ/97.9 (La Crosse) from the Salvation Poem Foundation for $5,000. The application to transfer the license states it will rebroadcast WLFN.

Magnum has a group of stations in Tomah, which is considered to be part of the La Crosse market for regulatory purposes. The group includes “Mix” Hot Adult Contemporary station WXYM/96.1 (Tomah) and translator W297CT/107.3 (La Crosse).

Dave Magnum said the deal took 14 months to finalize and praised La Crosse Media Group Managing Member Pat Smith, who is retiring after working in the market for 46 years.

“I’ve known Pat Smith for a long time; he’s a multi-talented broadcaster who forged and sustained a very impressive Radio career.  Pat and his business partner, Kelly Ramsey, achieved many successes,” Magnum said in a news release.

“Regarding the future, Dave Magnum has a reputation for dedication to the many communities his group serves across Wisconsin. I’m proud to be handing over the reins of three of our stations to the Magnum family,” Smith said in the news release.

The other commercial radio groups in the La Crosse market are Family Radio’s six stations and Sparta-Tomah Broadcasting’s three stations. “Classic Rock 100.1” falls musically between Family Radio’s “Classic Hits 94.7” and “95.7 The Rock.” “Magic 105” has no direct competitor, with Magnum’s “Mix” carrying Hot AC and Family Radio’s “Z93” running Contemporary Hits.

EMF operates the “K-Love” and “Air-1” Christian music networks and does not currently have any stations in La Crosse. Salvation Poem Foundation runs the regional Prayz Network, currently heard on K250AZ and three full-power stations in western Wisconsin.