With the three-way deal between Seven Mountains Media, Family Life Ministries, and Sound Communications involving stations in the Elmira/Corning and Olean NY markets closing on Tuesday, June 1, the companies have begun moving brands to new frequencies.
The AC “Magic” format that had been on 92.7 WENI-FM South Waverly PA and 97.7 WENY-FM Big Flats NY has been dropped from 97.7 as that frequency moves to Family Life’s ownership. Replacing 97.7 in the simulcast is 1230 WENY Elmira and 106.7 W294BU Corning. 1230 had been simulcasting Conservative Talk “The Patriot” that remains on 1450 WENI/103.3 W277DG Corning. 106.7 W294BU had been rebroadcasting “Kickin Country 105.3” WKPQ Hornell.
The Sound Communications properties are the third cluster in Elmira acquired by Seven Mountains Media since entering the market in 2019 with the purchase of Community Broadcasters’ properties. They added Equinox Broadcasting’s stations in December 2019 leading to signal and format changes for five of their brands last July.
The Sound Communications acquisition will see Seven Mountains Media add 92.7 WENI-FM South Waverly PA, 98.7 WGMM Corning, 105.3 WKPQ Hornell, 1230 WENY Elmira, 1450 WENI Corning, 103.3 W277DG Corning, 106.7 W294BU Corning, and 106.9 W295BY Elmira in the market along with stations in Olean. They also divested 97.7 WENY-FM Big Flats, 820 WMTT Horseheads, 104.9 WPHD Montour Falls and 100.9 WMTT-FM Horseheads NY (to be moved to 101.1 Enfield/Ithaca) to Family Life.
The latter deal will require frequency shifts for Classic Rock “101 The Met” 100.9 WMTT-FM/820 WMTT and Classic Hits “Cool 104.9” WPHD Montour Falls/Elmira. WPHD’s format also overlaps with Sound’s “98.7 Gem-FM” WGMM although while WPHD is 1970s and 1980s focused Classic Hits, WGMM is centered on the 80s and 1990s. The deal also gives Seven Mountains two Country brands in the market with WKPQ joining the “Bigfoot” quadcast heard on 94.7 WQBF Tioga PA, 95.1 W236AK Corning, 96.1 WCBF Elmira, and 97.1 WOBF Canaseraga/Hornell.