WDUX Sold as Laird Family Exits Broadcasting

Bill Laird has announced the sale of his stations in Waupaca, Wis., ending decades of station ownership by members of the Laird family.

Laird Broadcasting is selling the stations to Tower Road Media for $400,000. according to an asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC. The deal includes Adult Contemporary-formatted WDUX-FM/92.7, Classic Country station WDUX/800, and future WDUX translator W264DZ/100.7.

Tower Road Media is owned by Donald Grassman and Keith Bratel, both from Shawano. Grassman also has an interest in station groups in Clintonville, Shawano, Antigo, and Iron Mountain, Mich.

(Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly listed Grassman’s father, Bruce, who is not involved in this transaction.)

Bill Laird announced the sale on Monday, saying he will retire from broadcasting. His mother Dorothy Laird started WDUX in 1956 and his father Ben Laird owned Green Bay Broadcasting, which had stations in Green Bay, Upper Michigan, and South Dakota.  

The station’s report on the sale says WDUX currently has eight full-time employees and six part-time employees.

Besides two low-power FM stations, WDUX and WDUX-FM are the only radio stations providing city-grade service to Waupaca. The area is also served by numerous fringe signals from the Appleton, Green Bay, Stevens Point, and Wausau areas.