| Date: |
December 8, 2003 |
| Contact: |
Tina Christensen |
| Phone: |
(609) 924-1515 |
NASSAU
BROADCASTING EXPANDS INTO NEW ENGLAND
PRINCETON,
NEW JERSEY- Nassau Broadcasting Holdings, Inc. (“Nassau”)
has entered into definitive asset purchase agreement to
acquire six FM radio stations in coastal Maine from Mariner
Broadcasting L.P. (“Mariner”).
The transaction
is subject to the consent of the Federal Communications
Commission (“FCC”). Specific terms
were not disclosed.
The radio stations are WYBA licensed to Islesboro (Camden);
WBQI licensed to Bar Harbor (Bangor); WQEZ licensed to Kennebunkport;
WBQQ licensed to Kennebunk; WBQW licensed to Scarborough
(Portland); and WBQW licensed to Thomaston (Rockland). All
together, the stations serve a population of more than 600,000
on the coast of Maine from the New Hampshire state line to
the Canadian border.
The transaction is expected to close routinely in the first
quarter of 2004.
Nassau, a privately held firm based in Princeton, New Jersey
led by chairman Louis F. Mercatani, Jr., is a leading radio
broadcasting company that acquires, owns and operates radio
stations primarily in the mid-sized affluent suburban markets
of the northeaster United States. Post-closing, Nassau will
own and/or operate 21 radio stations in suburban New York,
Philadelphia, eastern Pennsylvania and Maine, including WOJZ-FM
(formerly WEMG-FM) licensed to Egg Harbor City NJ, which
Nassau is in the process of acquiring from Mega Communications.
“We are happy to be adding six quality FM radio stations
to the Nassau Broadcasting family,” said Mr. Mercatani. “Mariner
has done a great job building this cluster and operating
the stations. We will continue their good work and provide
the staff and management in Maine with all of the great resources
Nassau has to offer.”
Excluding the stations to be acquired, Nassau radio stations
have in excess of 1.2 million listeners weekly.
Mariner Broadcasting is led by President Louis Vitali, and
together with Chairman Alexander M. Tanger and Vice-President,
Howard (Woody) P. Tanger, are the principal owners of the
stations.
Doug Ferber of Star Media Group Inc. represented Mariner
Broadcasting as broker in the transaction.