Five Stations in Western UP Sold to California-Based Group

Five radio stations serving three cities in the western part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are being sold to a California-based company.

BTC USA Holdings Management is buying the stations from J&J Broadcasting and SNRN Broadcasting for $1.3 million, according to an asset purchase agreement filed with the FCC.

The stations being sold include Country outlets WJMS/590 (Ironwood) and WUPY/101.1 (Ontonagon), Classic Rocker WIMI/99.7 (Ironwood), Hot Adult Contemporary station WKMJ/93.5 (Hancock-Houghton), and News/Talk outlet WMPL/920 (Hancock-Houghton). The deal also includes WJMS translator W221EL/92.1 (Ironwood) and WMPL translator W297CD/107.7 (Hancock).

WUPY is currently owned by SNRN while the others are owned by J&J. Both companies are led by Gerald Hackman.

WUPY is the only station in its local area, while WJMS/WIMI competes with another local pair of commercial stations and WMPL/WKMJ is one of three commercial radio groups in Houghton-Hancock.

The buyer is 80% owned by California-based Broadcast 2 Podcast, which is held by Cliff Dumas, and 20% owned by Ontario-based Local First Media Group. RadioInsight reports the company is also in the process of buying stations in Alaska and Texarkana.