Federal Communications Commission Approves Connoisseur's Management of Alpha Media's Radio Stations
FCC Grants Waiver for Connoisseur to Take Over Alpha's East Texas Radio Stations
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved a waiver that allows Connoisseur Media to take control of Alpha Media's five FM radio stations in the Tyler-Longview market, despite local ownership limits. The decision preserves the existing ownership and competitive landscape in the market without additional market concentration or conflict with policy goals.
The five stations under Alpha's control are KOOI(FM), KYKX(FM), KKUS(FM), KOYE(FM), and KTLH(FM). KTLH, when it is on the air, simulcasts KOYE, and there is no independent revenue attributed to KTLH. The FCC's waiver allows Connoisseur to maintain control over all five Alpha stations, ensuring minimal disruption and allowing the public to continue to receive the same programming currently available from the stations.
The waiver request stems from the fact that Alpha's ownership in the market exceeds the commission's local ownership caps. With the 2022 BIA market designation change for KOYE and KTLH, the deal positions Connoisseur among the top 10 radio groups by station count. Despite owning no prior stations in the Tyler-Longview market, Connoisseur did not have any attributable interests in other market stations, making the ownership consolidation unlikely to increase concentration beyond maintaining existing levels.
The commission believes that granting the waiver is in the public interest as it preserves market diversity and competition status quo rather than creating an anticompetitive environment. BIA market data showed Alpha's stations ranked third in local ad revenue, indicating that continued operation under Connoisseur would not harm market competition. The commission also found that strict application of Note 4 was not warranted due to the circumstances of Connoisseur's waiver.
In summary, the FCC's waiver allows Connoisseur to assume control of Alpha's five FM stations in Tyler-Longview despite ownership limits because it maintains the existing ownership and competitive landscape without additional market concentration or conflict with policy goals. The deal is expected to complete in the coming months, subject to customary closing conditions.
[1] FCC Grants Waiver to Connoisseur Media for Control of Alpha Media's East Texas Radio Stations, FCC Media Bureau, [Accessed 23 March 2023]. [4] FCC Media Bureau Grants Waiver to Connoisseur Media for Control of Alpha Media's East Texas Radio Stations, Broadcasting & Cable, [Accessed 23 March 2023].
The FCC's decision to grant a waiver enables Connoisseur Media to broadcast their signals across Alpha Media's five FM radio stations in the Tyler-Longview market, navigating local ownership limits. This action conserves the existing financial stability and business competition within the market, preventing excessive market concentration. Connoisseur Media's acquisition of the Alpha stations, despite having no prior stations in this market, is strategically beneficial given the 2022 BIA market designation change for KOYE and KTLH, enabling them to rank among the top 10 radio groups by station count.
