Armada Buys Radio Group in Northwestern Wisconsin (Updated)

Armada Media is buying a group of five radio stations in Rice Lake from their longtime owner, according to the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

Tom Koser’s TKC Inc. group includes Country outlet WJMC-FM/96.1, Hot AC “Star 97.7” (WAQE-FM Barron), Classic Hits “Fox 99-1” (WKFX), Sports WAQE/1090, and Light AC/Conservative Talk outlet WJMC/1240. The AM stations also have FM translators.

An asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC on June 29 indicates that Armada’s AMC Partners Rice Lake LLC will pay TKC $4.951 million for the stations.

Koser will continue as a consultant, and his Vacationland Broadcasting will retain WRLS/92.3 (Hayward).

Fond du Lac-based Armada, headed by Chris Bernier and Terry Shockley, owns other groups based elsewhere in Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and Nebraska.

WJMC/WAQE/WKFX is the only radio group based in Rice Lake, a regional center between Eau Claire and Duluth-Superior. It primarily competes with Zoe Communications’ Shell Lake-based stations.