Vista Radio has announced its plans to acquire the shares of Clear Sky Radio, which operates 94.1 CJOC-FM and 98.1 The Bridge (CKBD-FM) in Lethbridge, AB, and Summit 107 (CFSM-FM) in Cranbrook, BC.
Headquartered in Lethbridge, Clear Sky was incorporated in 2006 after it was granted its first radio licence. It sold its Classic Hits station, CJCY-FM Medicine Hat, to Rogers Media earlier this year.
The Clear Sky stations will bring Vista Radio’s station count to 43, across B.C., Alberta, Ontario and the Northwest Territories. Vista also owns and operates more than 30 locally-focused news, information and online events portals in its station communities.
“We are thrilled to add these well-loved stations to our portfolio, and to continue to serve listeners and advertisers in these excellent markets,” said Geoff Poulton, president of Vista Radio, in a press release. “Our fundamental belief is that local radio makes a difference, and we will apply that philosophy to maintain and enhance the programming for listeners in Lethbridge, Cranbrook and their surrounding regions. We value independence and the local perspective, our hyper-local approach ensures that our listeners will always know what is happening in their communities. We are proud of our track record of innovation in our programming, operations and service to communities, and look forward to applying our expertise to enhance Clear Sky’s already excellent stations.”
Poulton told Broadcast Dialogue that station formats will stay status quo in the interim.
“We’ll want to run some research and get some feedback from the team before we determine what, if anything, changes,” Poulton asserted.
Paul Larsen, president of Clear Sky Radio, said based on Vista’s track record of commitment to the communities it serves, the company is confident it’s the best fit for its employees, clients and the local community.
The transaction is expected to close on Dec. 31, 2018. The purchase price has not been disclosed.
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