Wisconsin’s The Family Radio Network has closed on its purchase of an AM station and its FM translator in Milwaukee and also reached a deal to buy another Milwaukee-area signal.
An FCC filing indicates The Family closed on its $850,000 purchase of WJTI/1460 (West Allis) and W273DQ/102.5 (Milwaukee) from El Sol Broadcasting on Nov. 22. WJTI has requested a callsign change to WEMK effective Nov. 28, which is Thanksgiving Day.
The network included 102.5 in a social media announcement that an All-Christmas playlist will launch at 10 p.m. Thanksgiving Day:
Meanwhile, an asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC indicates The Family Radio Network has reached a deal to buy W225CP/92.9 (Milwaukee) from Tomsun Media for $320,000.
W225CP currently transmits from the suburb of Menomonee Falls, relaying Tomsun’s WPTT/1540 (Hartford), and has a construction permit to move to the WMVS(TV) tower in Milwaukee using 99 Watts.
The FCC application to transfer W225CP’s license indicates The Family will switch its input station to WJTI/WEMK.
The Family carries a Contemporary Christian format with “Family Life Today” and “Focus on the Family” airing at both 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. It airs on five full-power FM radio stations and six FM translators in northeastern, north-central, and northwestern Wisconsin.
WJTI transmits with 1kW day and 240 Watts night, using different directional patterns day and night. W273DQ transmits with 99 Watts from downtown Milwaukee and must relay WJTI in perpetuity as a condition of its grant during the AM Revitalization filing window.
Appleton-based The Family Radio Network is unrelated to the national Family Radio network and Family Stations, which owns WMWK/88.1 (Milwaukee).