There will no doubt be several other players in this mega-merger between Entercom and CBS. Entercom CFO Steve Fisher says there are six markets in which the newly formed company will have to divest about 15 stations. The markets in which the new company will exceed FCC ownership caps are Boston, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle. Let’s dig deep into the possibilities.
Broker Larry Patrick tells Radio Ink to keep an eye on Hubbard, Bonneville, Midwest Television, Cox, and a few others that may surface. iHeartMedia, Cumulus, Alpha, and Beasley are probably not in a position to be buyers right now but that doesn’t mean swapping stations couldn’t be part of a deal. Entercom CEO David Field said as much on the conference call announcing the deal on Thursday.
For example, as one astute Radio Ink reader in Boston pointed out as an example, would iHeartMedia trade stations in Albany and Syracuse for stations in Boston? That would give iHeart more strength in Boston and Entercom more muscle in upstate New York where it already has seven stations in Buffalo and six in Rochester.
Here’s a look at the specific markets Entercom will have to divest stations in and who owns stations in those markets. A big thanks to Mark Fratrick at BIA/Kelsey for helping us dig up the data.
LOS ANGELES
Entercom owns 1 FM
CBS Radio owns 5 FM’s and 1 AM for a total of 6
iHeart Media – 5 FM’s – 3 AM’s – total 8
MultiCultural Radio – 6 FM’s
Liberman Broadcasting – 4 FM’s – 1 AM – total 5
Univision – 4 FM’s – 1 AM – total 5
Lotus – owns 4 AM’s
Salem – 2 FM’s – 1 AM – total 3
SAN FRANCISCO
Entercom owns 5 FM’s
CBS owns 4 FM’s and 1 AM’s for a total of 5
Cumulus – 3 FM’s 4 AM’s – 7 total
iHeartMedia – 5 FM’s – 2 AM’s – total 7
Alpha Media – 5 FM’s – total 5
MultiCultural Radio – 4 AM’s – total 4
Univision 4 FM’s – total 4
Salem – 3 AM’s – total 3
BOSTON
Entercom owns 3 FM’s and 2 AM’s for a total of 5
CBS Radio owns 4 FM’s and 1 AM for a total of 5
Beasley – 5 FM’s and 1 AM – total 6
iHeartMedia – 3 FM’s and 2 AM’s – total 5
Costa Eagle Broadcasting owns 4 AM’s – total 4
Salem Media Group owns 4 AM’s – total 3
SEATTLE
Entercom owns 4 FM’s
CBS Radio owns 3 FM’s and 1 AM for a total of 4
iHeartMedia – 5 FM’s – 2 AM’s – total 7
Hubbard – 3 FM’s- 2 AM’s – total 5
Salem – 4 AM’s – total 4
Bonneville – 1 FM – 2 AM’s – total 3
SAN DIEGO
Entercom owns 4 FM’s
CBS Radio owns 2 FM’s
iHeartMedia – 5 FM’s – 2 AM’s – total 7
Uniradio – 2 FM’s – 2 AM’s – total 4
Comunicacion Xersa – 3 FM’s – total 3
MVS Communicaciones – 3 FM’s – total 3
Broadcast of the Americas – 2 AM’s – total 2
SACRAMENTO
Entercom owns 5 FM’s and 1 AM for a total of 6
CBS Radio owns 4 FM’s and 1 AM for a total of 5
iHeartMedia – 4 FM’s – 2 AM’s – total 6
Entravision – 4 FM’s- total 4
Salem – 2 FM’s – 2 AM’s – total 4
Lazer – 3 FM’s – total 3
Source BIA/Kelsey
