Credit:Elijah Merrell
A Texas-based religious group has acquired the popular radio station WVIP 93.5 FM for $8.15 million, leaving an air of uncertainty over the Caribbean community in the New York metro area.
The change in ownership came just over a year after the death of William O’Shaughnessy, founder and chairman of Whitney Global Media, operators of WVIP 93.5 FM and WVOX 1460 AM.
The New Rochelle-based WVIP operates with 1.75kW/132m, targeting most Caribbean and Jamaican immigrant communities with Lease Time programming over the past 40 years. At least 90 percent of radio hosts and producers are of Caribbean heritage, mostly Jamaicans.
WVIP has provided programming and is a Caribbean platform for local voices, music, news, and cultural content. Over the years, the station has been a hub of creativity, information, and community engagement, fostering connections and bringing together diverse perspectives.
Vice chairman at WVOX and WVIP, Cindy Gallagher, told Street Hype Newspaper that although the station sale is final, “things will remain the same for now” for some 40 radio hosts and producers who purchase the lease time on the radio. However, Gallagher was unable to give further details on the business or editorial policy of the station under the new ownership.
Tim Dukes
The new owner is Hope Media Group, a conservative religious group headquartered in Houston, TX.
According to radioinsight.com, Hope Media owns several other stations, including the Christian AC “Way FM” network, 89.3 KSBJ, and the Spanish Christian. The low profile WVOX AM remains under the ownership of Whitney Global.
Occupying some 56 hours of airtime weekly, Irie Jam Radio CEO and president, Bobby Clarke, said WVIP’s sale signals that his programs could be off the air, which would be a significant communication void for the Caribbean community. “It has been a long 30-year run serving the people; therefore, we must find a way to continue,” Clarke stressed.
Bobby Clarke
CEO of Linkup Media Group of Companies, David Annakie, who purchase about 28 hours weekly for the Linkup Radio showcase, told his listeners that the change in ownership of WVIP is not the end of the world and it could be an opportunity for him to grow his business on another platform. He, however, suggested that “we as Jamaican should team up to provide more services to our communities.”
David Annakie
In 2006, William O’Shaughnessy’s Whitney Radio Group renamed its WRTN/93.5 as WVIP. In July 2010, WVIP moved its transmitter to New York City, giving it a stronger signal in New York City, northern New Jersey, southern Connecticut, Long Island, and Rockland County.
Hope Media Group is led by veteran radio industry figure Tim Dukes, today the Chief Operating Officer for the Houston-based operation.
Source www.streethypenewspaper.com
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