EMF Expands Birmingham Footprint
• UPDATED: RAMP has confirmed that Educational Media Foundation’s K-Love, Inc. filed an Asset Purchase Agreement with the FCC on July 8 to acquire 97.3 WPYA/Gardendale-Birmingham, AL from SummitMedia for $2.6 million. The station is currently Top 40 as Today’s Hits 97.3.
K-Love already has a broadcast foothold in the Birmingham market — Christian AC K-Love programming is running on W241AI (96.1)/Gorgas, AL, and the company’s more uptempo Air 1 format is carried on W271BN(102.1)/Birmingham. In a statement shared with RAMP, an EMF spokesperson said, “Educational Media Foundation has entered into an agreement to purchase WPYA in the Birmingham, Ala. market, pending FCC approval. While we have operated in Central Alabama for many years, this purchase of a full power station allows us to expand our coverage area with improved broadcast clarity. We are excited for the opportunity to reach more people with the Gospel and inspire them to move closer to Jesus.”
In addition to WPYA, SummitMedia Birmingham currently operates Urban AC WBHK (98.7 Kiss), Urban-Rhythmic WBHJ (95.7 Jamz), Country 104.7 WZZK, Classic Rock WBPT, Alternative WBPT-HD2 (X100.1), Urban Gospel WAGG 610 AM, and Triple A WPYA-HD2 (Birmingham Mountain Radio).
We understand that SummitMedia will continue to operate WPYA until final FCC approval, which we are told could take as long as four or five months.
