Powell Broadcasting Leaves Panama City
• Powell Broadcasting has officially exited the Panama City, FL market with the announcement that the company has signed a contract and filed an application with the FCC for the transfer of WASJ-FM, WRBA-FM and WKNK-FM to Gulf Coast Broadcasting, LLC. This news may come as a relief to Powell Broadcasting management, as Powell’s four-station group has been silent since early October, the result of catastrophic damage caused by Hurricane Michael. The sale of the fourth station in the cluster, former Top 40 WPFM, just closed to Educational Media Foundation for $472,000.
The Seller, Powell Broadcasting, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Powell Group and still owns radio stations in Sioux City, IA. The Buyer, Gulf Coast Broadcasting, LLC, is a Florida-based company, headed by Samuel Rogatinsky, who is also the principal of Palm Beach Radio Group, LLC, which owns Haitian-targeted WPBR-AM/Lantana, FL and translators at 96.1 and 97.5 FM.
Former Adult Hits WASJ-FM operates at 105.1, with 50 kW at 335’ HAAT; former Classic Rock WRBA-FM operates at 95.9, with 50 kW at 282’ HAAT, and former Country WKNK-FM operates at 103.5, with 100kW at 423’ HAAT. Kalil & Co., Inc. is the exclusive broker for this transaction.
