90.7 WMFE reached an agreement with Daystar Public Radio Inc. last month to purchase the radio station license for WKSG-FM 89.5 (The Boulevard) in Cedar Creek, 20 miles east of Ocala. The FCC accepted the filing for transfer of license on Sept. 25.
The new station allows WMFE to spread its existing costs over two systems and bring NPR programming to new communities including The Villages, the nation’s fastest growing metro area for the last three years, according to U.S. Census data. The new areas also include much of Marion and Sumter counties and parts of Lake and Volusia counties.
But will The Villages listen? 56% of its 100,000 residents is Republican according to Orlando Sentinel. It's the fastest growing conservative metro in the country. Salon said the owner bankrolls GOP campaigns, the TV show Fox & Friends has filmed there and Sean Hannity's radio show has broadcast from there. Based on political donations of the people who live there it ranked 1335th most conservativeout metro of 5145 metros according to CrowdPac. It's considered conservative on its Wikipedia page.
WMFE 90.7 runs NPR public radio content, which is considered liberal. A Duke University study says it is. A Pew Research study says its listeners are mainly liberal.
With WMFE's new purchase and new reach, will it gain many listeners in that huge community? Only time and WMFE surveys will tell.
The purchase agreement between 90.7 WMFE and Daystar Public Radio Inc. includes the broadcast license as well as the station’s broadcast tower and the 14.45 acres of land upon which it sits. The sales price is $900,000.
Funding for the purchase will come from proceeds from the 2012 sale of the WMFE-TV PBS station to the University of Central Florida as well as dedicated major gifts for the purchase from the station’s supporters and organizations.
Contingent upon FCC approval, The Boulevard’s current programming will be replaced by new programming by early 2018.
WMFE is considering a variety of new programs to bring to the 89.5-FM audience. Listeners may submit feedback and suggestions by emailingwmfe@wmfe.org.
WMFE 90.7 runs NPR public radio content, which is considered liberal. A Duke University study says it is. A Pew Research study says its listeners are mainly liberal.
With WMFE's new purchase and new reach, will it gain many listeners in that huge community? Only time and WMFE surveys will tell.
The purchase agreement between 90.7 WMFE and Daystar Public Radio Inc. includes the broadcast license as well as the station’s broadcast tower and the 14.45 acres of land upon which it sits. The sales price is $900,000.
Funding for the purchase will come from proceeds from the 2012 sale of the WMFE-TV PBS station to the University of Central Florida as well as dedicated major gifts for the purchase from the station’s supporters and organizations.
Contingent upon FCC approval, The Boulevard’s current programming will be replaced by new programming by early 2018.
WMFE is considering a variety of new programs to bring to the 89.5-FM audience. Listeners may submit feedback and suggestions by emailingwmfe@wmfe.org.