Max Media
Private
IndustryBroadcasting
Founded2001
Location5589 Greenwich Rd., Suite 200, Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S.
Area servedIllinois, Missouri, and Virginia
ProductsRadio
DivisionsRiver Radio LLC
Homepagemaxmediallc.com

Max Media is an American media company that owns radio stations throughout the United States and is based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The company also operates under the name River Radio for stations in their Illinois and Missouri Markets with offices in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Carterville, Illinois, and Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

History

Max Media was founded in 2001. Prior to this, some of the company's management had run the TVX Broadcast Group from 1979 until its sale in 1991 to Paramount Communications (which renamed it the Paramount Stations Group), and had also run Max Media Properties (similarly named to the current company) from then until its sale in 1998 to the Sinclair Broadcast Group (which owned some former TVX stations).

In December 2003, Max Media would gain a handful of radio stations in Southern Illinois and Missouri after the Zimmer Radio Group sold 17 of their stations to Max under the name River Radio for an estimated $43 million.[1]

On September 30, 2013, the Cowles Publishing Company acquired Max Media's Montana television station cluster for $18 million.[2][3]

On October 31, 2013, Sinclair acquired the non-license assets of WPFO, Waterville, Maine, for $13.6 million; the deal made it a sister station to WGME-TV, Portland, Maine, which already produced a newscast for the station.[4] On November 20, 2013, it was announced that Cunningham Broadcasting was to acquire the license assets for $3.4 million.[5] The sale of the license assets was approved on June 23, 2017.[6]

On August 21, 2013, Max Media announced that it would sell its six Arkansas-based radio stations to Bobby Caldwell's East Arkansas Broadcasters for $3 million.[7] The sale was completed on January 9, 2014.[citation needed]

On August 12, 2015, Max Media announced that it would sell its four Pennsylvania-based radio stations to Kristin Cantrell's Seven Mountains Media LLC for $3.8 million.[8] The sale was completed on November 5, 2015.[9]

On April 5, 2017, Max Media announced that it was selling NBC affiliate WNKY in Bowling Green, Kentucky to Marquee Broadcasting for $5.6 million.[10][11] The sale was completed on June 30, 2017.[12][13]

All television stations either directly or indirectly owned by Max Media were sold off by 2019, leaving the company with a portfolio consisting solely of radio stations.

Current stations

Radio

style="border: 1px solid #a3b0bf; cellpadding="2"; margin: auto" bgcolor="#cedff2" | AM Stationstyle="border: 1px solid #a3b0bf; cellpadding="2"; margin: auto" bgcolor="#ddcef2" | FM Station
City of license / MarketStationOwned sinceCurrent format
Cape Girardeau, MissouriKGIR 12202004Sports radio
KZIM 9602004News/talk
KCGQ-FM 99.32004Active rock
KEZS-FM 102.92004Country music
KGKS 93.92004Adult hits
Marion–Carbondale, ILWCIL 11202004News/talk
WJPF 13402004News/talk
WCIL-FM 101.52004Contemporary hit radio
WOOZ-FM 99.92004Country music
WUEZ 95.12004Adult hits
WXLT 103.52004Sports radio
Norfolk–Virginia Beach–Newport News, VAWGH 13102005Sports radio
WGH-FM 97.32005Country music
WTWV-FM 92.92005Yacht rock
WVBW-FM 100.52005Urban adult hits
WVSP-FM 94.12005Sports radio
Poplar Bluff, MissouriKWOC 9302004News/talk
KJEZ 95.52004Active rock
KKLR-FM 94.52004Country music
Sikeston, MissouriKMAL 14702004Sports radio
KSIM 14002004News/talk
KLSC 92.92004Adult hits

Former stations

Television

City of license / MarketStation
  • Years
  • owned
Current status
Bowling Green, KYWNKY40 (16)2003–2017NBC affiliate owned by Marquee Broadcasting
Waterville–Portland, MEWPFO23 (23)2003–2017[a]Fox affiliate owned by Cunningham Broadcasting[b]
Traverse City, MIWGTU29 (29)2003–2008ABC affiliate owned by Cunningham Broadcasting[b]
Sault Ste. Marie, MIWGTQ[c]8 (8)2003–2008ABC affiliate owned by Cunningham Broadcasting[b]
Billings, MTKULR-TV8 (11)2004–2013NBC affiliate owned by Cowles Company
Butte–Bozeman, MTKWYB18 (19)2001–2013ABC affiliate owned by Cowles Company
Great Falls, MTKFBB-TV5 (8)2004–2013ABC affiliate owned by Cowles Company
KTGF16 (45)2001–2004MeTV affiliate, KJJC-TV, owned by PetroMedia Corporation
Helena, MTKHBB-LD[d]21 (21)2004–2013ABC affiliate owned by Cowles Company
Missoula, MTKTMF23 (23)2001–2013ABC affiliate owned by Cowles Company
KYTX19 (18)2003–2008CBS affiliate owned by Nexstar Media Group
Christiansted, USVIWVIF15 (15)2003–2009[a]defunct, went dark in 2009
Arecibo, PRWMEI60 (14)2007–2017[a]defunct, went dark in 2017
Mayagüez, PRWOST14 (20)2007–2019[a]ShopHQ affiliate owned by HC2 Holdings
Ponce, PRWQQZ-CD[e]14 (24)2005–2019[a]ShopHQ affiliate owned by HC2 Holdings
Quebradillas, PRWWKQ-LD[e]14 (34)2005–2019[a]ShopHQ affiliate owned by HC2 Holdings

Radio

style="border: 1px solid #a3b0bf; cellpadding="2"; margin: auto" bgcolor="#cedff2" | AM Stationstyle="border: 1px solid #a3b0bf; cellpadding="2"; margin: auto" bgcolor="#ddcef2" | FM Station
City of license / MarketStationYears ownedCurrent status
Morrilton, ARKVOM 8002003–2014Owned by East Arkansas Broadcasters
KVOM-FM 101.72003–2014Owned by East Arkansas Broadcasters
Russellville–Dardanelle, ARKCAB 9802003–2014Owned by East Arkansas Broadcasters
KCJC 102.32003–2014Owned by East Arkansas Broadcasters
KVLD 99.32003–2014Owned by East Arkansas Broadcasters
KWKK 100.92003–2014Owned by East Arkansas Broadcasters
Denver, COKFCO 107.12009–2024Owned by Pillar of Fire International
KJHM 101.52009–2024Owned by Pillar of Fire International
Ahoskie, NCWQDK 99.32003–2015Owned by Augusta Radio Fellowship Institute, Inc.
Elizabeth City, NCWGAI 5602003–2014Owned by Gregory Communications License, Inc.
WCMS-FM 94.52003–2018Defunct, went silent in 2024
WCXL 104.12003–2018Owned by East Carolina Radio
Selinsgrove, PAWVSL 12402003–2013Defunct, went silent in 2013
WFYY 106.52003–2015Owned by Seven Mountains Media LLC
WVSL-FM 92.32003–2015Owned by Seven Mountains Media LLC
WWBE 98.32003–2015Owned by Seven Mountains Media LLC
WYGL-FM 100.52003–2015Owned by Family Life Network

Notes

  1. ^ Owned by Corporate Media Consultants Group, a joint venture between Max Media and Power Television International.
  2. ^ Operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group.
  3. ^ Satellite of WGTU.
  4. ^ Satellite of KFBB-TV.
  5. ^ Satellite of WOST.

References

  1. ^ "Changing Hands"
  2. ^ Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License "Federal Communications Commission", 1 October 2013
  3. ^ Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License "Federal Communications Commission", 1 October 2013
  4. ^ Malone, Michael (November 6, 2013). "Sinclair Acquires WPFO Portland (ME) Assets For $13.6 Million". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
  5. ^ Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved 20 November 2013
  6. ^ Notice. CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, 23 June 2017, Retrieved 23 June 2017.
  7. ^ Jones, Luke (August 21, 2013). "East Arkansas Broadcasters Buys 6 Stations in $3M Deal". Arkansas Business Publishing Group. Archived May 19, 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  8. ^ Clayton, Cindy (August 12, 2015). "Virginia Beach-based Max Media selling Pennsylvania radio stations". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  9. ^ "Deal Digest for the week of November 12, 2015". InsideRadio. November 12, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  10. ^ "Max Media Selling WNKY Bowling Green". TV News Check. April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
  11. ^ Application For Consent To Assignment Of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Or License. CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved 7 April 2017
  12. ^ Consummation Notice, CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  13. ^ Jessell, Harry A. (June 29, 2017). "Marquee Closes Buy, Names Gray COO". TV News Check. Retrieved July 3, 2017.