| Date: |
December 11, 2003 |
| Contact: |
Tina Christensen |
| Phone: |
(609) 924-1515 |
NASSAU
BULKS UP IN MAINE
PRINCETON,
NEW JERSEY – After just recently announcing its agreement
to acquire six FM radio stations in southern coastal Maine
from Mariner Broadcasting L.P. (“Mariner”),
Nassau Broadcasting Holdings, Inc. (“Nassau”)
announced it also has entered into a definitive asset purchase
agreement to acquire five additional radio stations serving
Portland, Maine from Radio Partners of Maine, L.P. (“Radio
Partners”).
The transaction
is subject to the consent of the Federal Communications
Commission (“FCC”). Specific terms
were not disclosed. Glenn Serafin of Serafin Bros., Inc.,
a Tampa, Florida-based media brokerage and financial services
company, advised Nassau in the Radio Partners transaction.
The radio stations to be acquired are WMTW-AM licensed to
Gorham; WMTW-FM licensed to North Windham; WMEK-FM licensed
to Auburn; and WLAM and WTHT-FM, both licensed to Lewiston,
all Maine.
In aggregate, the 11 radio stations from Portland to Bar
Harbor cover a populations of nearly 986,000 persons. Both
transactions are expected to close routinely in the first
quarter of 2004.
Nassau, a privately held firm based in Princeton, New Jersey
lead by chairman Louis F. Mercatanti, Jr., is a leading radio
broadcasting company that acquires, owns and operates radio
stations primarily in the mid-sized affluent suburban markets
of the northeastern United States. Post-closing, Nassau will
own and/or operate 26 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.
“The first transaction (with Mariner Broadcasting)
planted the Nassau flag in southern Maine,” said Mr.
Mercatanti. “Our latest agreement with Radio Partners
for five more stations will give us an unequaled platform
to become the leading radio broadcaster in the region. We
welcome the staff and management of all 11 stations to the
Nassau family and we will provide the resources for them
to be the most respected and successful radio broadcasters
in Maine.
Excluding the stations to be acquired, Nassau radio stations
have in excess of 1.2 million listeners weekly.
Radio Partners, led by Executive Vice President and General
Manager David Kaufman, is an affiliate of WMTW Broadcast
Group LLC, the licensee of WMTW-TV (Channel 8/ABC) serving
Portland ME.
President Louis Vitali and members of the Tanger family
are the principal owners of the Mariner Broadcasting stations.
Separately, under the licensee Marlin Broadcasting LLC, the
Tangers also own stations in Boston MA and Hartford CT.
Serafin Bros., Inc., a Florida corporation, provides brokerage,
finance and valuation services to select clients in the radio
and television industries nationwide. Glenn M. Serafin, a
30-year veteran of the broadcast industry, formed Serafin
Bros. in 1993.