Four Topeka radio stations are leaving Connoisseur Media’s hands as the company moves to shed more markets following its Alpha Media acquisition, with MSC Radio Group stepping in as the local buyer.
The sale sees 98.5 Jack FM (KSAJ), Country 106.9 (KTPK), WIBW-AM News, and The Big 94.5 (WIBW) land with MSC, who already operates 96.9 Pulse Radio (KOZA) in the area. That puts MSC one station shy of Cumulus Media in the Kansas capital, which closed its local studios in January and shifted operations and management to Kansas City in a consolidation effort.
In 2025, Connoisseur sold its Bakersfield, California cluster to Frequency Broadcasting, offloaded 15 Missouri stations to Carter Media for $400,000, and exited Luverne, Minnesota and Madison, South Dakota to Christensen Broadcasting.
Days before the Topeka announcement, Connoisseur agreed to sell five more South Dakota stations in the Brookings market to a local ownership group. On the buy side, the company is acquiring four Bonneville International stations in the San Francisco Bay Area for $10 million, underscoring a pivot toward major-market scale.
Connoisseur Media CEO and Founder Jeff Warshaw said, “We’re incredibly proud of the impact these stations have had in Topeka and the connections they’ve built with listeners. As we continue to refine our portfolio, this agreement allows us to focus our resources on key growth markets while ensuring these stations are well-positioned for the future with KNZA. We’re confident they will continue their legacy of serving the community with a strong emphasis on local engagement, news, and partnerships.”
MSC Radio Group President and Owner Justin Fluke has been with the company since 2001, joined its management and ownership group in 2014, and assumed the presidency in 2022. Fluke said, “We’re honored to continue the strong legacy of these outstanding Topeka radio stations. They’ve been established leaders in the market and across the state of Kansas for many years, and we’re excited to build on that history while bringing truly local ownership and operation back to the Capital city. As the only radio group operating in Topeka, our focus will be on serving and engaging listeners, supporting local businesses, and strengthening community partnerships.”
