ITHACA -- It's not often we hear about news from ESPN Radio 1160 (WPIE) in Ithaca -- but multiple reports say owner Pembrook Pines is selling the station for $150,000. Incoming owner Taughannock Media hasn't closed on the deal yet, but they're already taking over sales efforts for the station.
First word of the sale comes via this morning's edition of Taylor on Radio-Info. Writer Tom Taylor says Taughannock and Pembrook Pines have formed a JSA -- joint sales agreement. While the JSA isn't as powerful or as common as an LMA (local market agreement, where the new owner basically takes over all aspects of station management), the JSA allows Taughannnock to take over sales efforts.
According to Radio Business Report, Taughannock -- owned locally by Todd and Tina Mallinson -- has put $7,500 in escrow towards the sale, with full cash payment due at closing. The report also says Pembrook Pines has "first right of refusal" to take the station back, should Taughannock decide to sell the station.
There's no question the Mallinsons are heading into their new venture full-steam ahead: the top result in a Google search for their company name turned up a PDF sales package promoting the national and local programming offered on WPIE. Though there were no specific rates included, the brochure, with Todd Mallinson's name as a contact, gives potential clients a very thorough explanation of WPIE's programming lineup.
Mallinson is also looking to hire several positions for the new station, as listed on the WPIE website. Specifically, the station is looking for an operations manager, sales reps, and part-time producers. While WPIE does not have any daily locally-produced talk shows on its schedule at present, the station's sales package boasts a long list of local colleges and high schools for which play-by-play coverage is offered.
Todd Mallinson's name may sound familiar to longtime observers of the Cortland/Ithaca radio scene: a few years back, he was GM of the former Citadel stations in Cortland. You may recall Citadel sold the AM/FM combo in 2007 to Saga, who maintained the format of rocker I-100 (WIII), but donated news/talker WKRT 920 to Bible Broadcasting Network to meet FCC ownership requirements. That station now identifies as WYBY.