Mid-West Family Closes on Schurz/South Bend

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, February 16, 2016 | 4:28pm CT

Mid-West Family Broadcasting (WSJM Inc.) has closed on its previously announced acquisition of four stations serving Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan from Schurz Communications for $5.5 million. The South Bend, IN, cluster stations will comprise the eighth radio market served by the family of companies known as Mid-West Family Broadcasting in Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan and now Indiana. Included in the deal are 3kW AC WNSN-FM (Sunny 101.5), 11.5 kW Classic Rock WZOC-FM (Z94.3), 50 kW WHFB-FM (New Country 99.9) and News/Talk WSBT-AM & FM (960/96.1).

The four stations were acquired from Schurz Communications/WSBT, Inc. as a product of its sale of the Schurz Television station group to Gray Television. Gray has elected not to retain the radio stations it would have acquired in South Bend and Lafayette, IN and Rapid City, SD. Other radio broadcasters in the region purchased the Lafayette and Rapid City radio stations.

The South Bend-based stations will continue to operate from the Schurz Communications building on East Douglas Road in Mishawaka. They will function as a new operating unit of WSJM Inc., reporting to Mid-West Family Broadcasting management in Benton Harbor: VP/General Manager Dave Doetsch, who assumes the role of COO, and President Gayle Olson.

Olson said, "The Schurz stations have a long and rich heritage of service to Michiana. Mid-West Family Broadcasting looks forward to building on that foundation for decades to come, just as we have in SouthWest Michigan since 1958."

Doetsch commented, "Southwest Michigan and the South Bend market have had media ties for years when it comes to television, but been split for the most part when it comes to radio. But that won't be the case any longer. I am extremely excited about what lies ahead. Those who know me know how I like the play radio, and it is going to be a lot of fun playing in South Bend."

Bob Heymann of the Chicago office of Media Services Group served as the broker representing the buyer in the transaction