Riverfront Broadcasting is returning to Iowa with the purchase of four silent radio stations from Connoisseur Media.
According to an asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC on Oct. 14, Riverfront Broadcasting of Iowa LLC will buy four stations in Newton and Grinnell for $40,000.
The deal includes KCOB/1280 (Newton), KCOB-FM/95.9 (Newton), KGRN/1410 (Grinnell), and “Energy 106.7” (KRTI Grinnell-Newton), which have been off the air since June 9. A local marketing agreement gave Riverfront the right to begin operating the stations on Oct. 1 but it’s not immediately clear if they have returned to the air.
KRTI is the largest of the stations, using 50kW/150m (class C2) with a main coverage area including Marshalltown. Both KRTI and KCOB-FM also deliver fringe signals to suburban Des Moines.
South Dakota-based Riverfront previously owned stations in five Iowa communities but sold them to other groups. It owns 21 stations in South Dakota and two in Minnesota.
Connoisseur has sold stations in several other unrated Upper Midwest markets, and also took its pair of stations in Fairfield, Iowa, off the air at the end of March.