Marquette Stations to be Split Among Related Groups

Sovereign Communications’ existing radio group in the Marquette market would be split among two separate but related entities under plans submitted to the FCC for approval.

Armada Media Partners announced plans to buy the Sovereign group last October. Armada already operates three FM stations in Marquette and the purchase of Sovereign’s three FM stations and two AM stations in the market would have put it over ownership caps.

Now, separate applications filed with the FCC show that AMC Partners Escanaba LLC would buy one of the FM’s and the two AM’s in Marquette as well as three stations in Iron Mountain for $550,000. The other two Marquette FM’s will go to Marquette Radio LLC for $100,000.

Christopher Bernier is the manager of AMC Partners while his brother, Adam Bernier, is the majority shareholder in Marquette Radio.

In a declaration to the FCC, Christopher Bernier says that while he informed his brother of the opportunity, the two companies negotiated their deals separately and neither is involved in financing the other. He goes on to say that it is expected that AMC Partners will lease studio and tower space to Marquette Radio but that there are no oral or written agreements to co-mingle financial, programming, or staffing decisions.

Terry Holzman will serve as Marquette Radio LLC’s managing member. Holzman is also the majority owner of the Radio Plus group in Fond du Lac, Wis. Christopher Bernier was formerly a minority shareholder in the Fond du Lac group until selling his interest to Holzman last fall.

Under the plan, AMC Partners will get WJPD-FM/92.3 (Ishpeming-Marquette), WDMJ/1320 (Marquette), and WIAN/1240 (Ishpeming). Marquette Radio will get WUPK/94.1 (Marquette) and WNGE/99.5 (Negaunee-Marquette).

The Sovereign-Armada deal also includes WIMK/93.1 (Iron Mountain), WZNL/94.3 (Norway-Iron Mountain), and WMIQ/1450 (Iron Mountain.

Armada also operates six stations in the Escanaba market, five in Menominee-Marinette, and one in Manistique. It’s in the process of buying the three Marquette stations it already operates from Radioactive LLC.

The other commercial radio groups in Marquette are Mediabrew Communications’ three full-power FM’s and three FM translators and Taconite Broadcasting’s one full-power FM, one FM translator, and one AM station. (See the UP Radio Markets page for a complete list.)

This item has been updated to reflect that Christopher Bernier sold his minority interest in the Radio Plus group last fall.