Wouldn't It Be Interesting If The Company That Owns KB Radio Purchases The Company That Used To Own KB Radio

[Desi_Bell]

Or has it just been a very long weekend?

PHILADELPHIA, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co.'s  attempts to sell its ABC Radio business are progressing slowly, but the media giant is still in talks with prospective suitors Entercom Communications Corp.  Emmis Communications Corp. and Citadel Broadcasting Corp. , according to sources close to the sale process.
Negotiations between Disney and the radio industry rivals have lagged as Disney works to assemble the audited financial data on ABC Radio it needs before asking for final bids. It may take until the middle or end of this month for those results to be compiled, which could push the timeframe by which Disney asks for final offers into late October, sources said.
Burbank, Calif.-based Disney, which has been quietly testing suitors for ABC Radio for months, was disappointed by initial bids that came in below its expectations for $3 billion or more, sources said. ABC Radio's value remains an issue of contention between the parties, these sources said, along with the somewhat complicated structure under which Disney wants to divest the business, meaning a sale is far from certain.
Disney is looking to spin or split off ABC Radio and then merge it into the winning bidder's company. Disney's shareholders would take ownership of half the new company to make the deal tax efficient, sources said.
Disney radio spokeswoman Julie Hoover had no comment when asked whether conditions had changed since Chief Financial Officer Tom Staggs said the company was "in the process of evaluating our strategic alternatives with regard to radio."
Spokespeople for Emmis, Entercom and Citadel did not immediately return calls for comment. The three broadcasters are all thought to be eager to own the assets, and sources expected them to compete formidably with each other.
In the month and a half since the companies lobbed in preliminary bids, Emmis has boosted its financial firepower by selling off nine of its 16 TV stations at better-than-expected prices -- and is in talks to sell the other seven.
Some industry watchers had expected the ABC Radio sale to end before a winner was selected for the radio and cable assets of Susquehanna Media Co., a sale launched this spring.
Susquehanna's progress slowed when Disney began shopping ABC Radio to some of the same potential buyers, but sources said the Susquehanna auction could now end first because those bids are due in about two weeks.
Citadel is pursuing Susquehanna's radio business in the hopes that its offer, combined with whatever bid for the cable assets is highest, will convince Susquehanna to sell the operations separately, sources said.
Private equity firms Providence Equity Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Madison Dearborn Partners have teamed with current and former Susquehanna management to bid for the combined radio and cable businesses.
Cumulus Media Inc. Chairman and CEO Lew Dickey may also lob in a bid backed by money from private equity investors, and Entercom still has one toe in the water, sources said.

[Yeziknoradio]

I believe Emmis has a good shot, but Entercom isn't going to just let ABC say "Here you go" to them.

Looks like a good fight is brewing.
Citidal has good investment strategies too though, so perhaps I shouldn't rule them out.

______________
"If you never say NO, How much is your YES worth?"

[caveman97]

>If Disney sells its stations, maybe that will be the end of Radio Disney.   Children's programming at 3 in the morning and not much evidence that kids listen any time.   Many Radio Disney stations have 50,000 watts.  What a waste of valuable radio spectrum!
>

[mike704]

> >If Disney sells its stations, maybe that will be the end of
> Radio Disney.   Children's programming at 3 in the morning
> and not much evidence that kids listen any time.   Many
> Radio Disney stations have 50,000 watts.  What a waste of
> valuable radio spectrum!

The report I read said the ESPN and Radio Disney stations are not included in the deal.  Just the origional ABC O&O stations.

[Radknowski]

> >If Disney sells its stations, maybe that will be the end of
> Radio Disney.   Children's programming at 3 in the morning
> and not much evidence that kids listen any time.   Many
> Radio Disney stations have 50,000 watts.  What a waste of
> valuable radio spectrum!
> >


"Colon Blow" shows or reasonably good children's programming that has an abundance of creativity and homour.

What's your choice?

In case you haven't noticed, most kids aren't flocking to the AM band these days, so if Disney is providing something unique and valuable to kids between the age of 5 and 15, that helps them realize there actually is an AM BAND, I say more power to 'em. (Get it? 50kW... Power... Ahem. But I digress.)

What's more, the kids programming that Radio Disney provides is more than listenable to adults. One more thing, although it may be "sappy and happy," Radio Disney entertains and even informs.

It's my observation that kids grow up too damn fast as it is. How many 13 year old girls are subjected to peer (and sometimes parental) pressure to look like they're 21 and posing for Cosmopolitan, or worse. Radio Disney is a blessing to many parents who want their kids to just be kids and have fun.

I'll take Radio Disney over "colon blow" programming any day of the week. In fact, after hearing Air America (of which I've been a proponent) stumble through its self-inflicted minefield, I'll take Radio Disney.

You might argue that R-D isn't exactly setting the world on fire, and you'd have a point. But truth be told, "All Colon-Blow, All The Time" isn't exactly a ratings juggernaut, either. Advantage, Radio Disney.

Now, if you're saying that you'd rather hear good, local, news-talk on those AM's currently running Disney, perhaps you have a stronger argument. But frankly, how many R-D operators are going to make that kind of investment? Very few. If R-D goes down, most of those stations will go ethnic, C-B or maybe sports. There are enough of those formats already glutting the AM band.

At least Radio Disney is well-produced, energetic, entertaining and different.

As to what company wins the brass ring... that's for the suits, fat-cats and financiers to figure out.

[wired]

>i Agree w/ the last post...
I think RadioDisney is a info-entertaining broadcast..
very tight production, that sizzles..and is sometimes,
funny!! or 'cute' for all ages..yes, geared towards kids..
but appeals to all..

[mike704]

>> At least Radio Disney is well-produced, energetic,
> entertaining and different.

I agree, I think it's a fun format.  It was hearing people having fun on the radio that drew me to it in the first place.  Sadly it's also missing from a lot of formats these days.

The Radio Disney station where I live is not a 50kw but a really weak 5kw that sounds more like 250 watts for some reason.  Radio Disney can also be heard on DirecTV.

Mike