Alpha Closes on Buckley Purchase

1-1-2015

In an end of the year wrap up, Alpha Media announced they have closed the purchase of KKBB-FM, KLLY-FM, KNZR-AM and KNZR- FM in Bakersfield, California along with KHTN-FM and KUBB-FM in Merced, California from Buckley Broadcasting of California and Buckley Communications.

The acquisition of the stations in Merced and Bakersfield brings the Alpha Media portfolio to a total of eighty-six stations. Commenting on the acquisition, Larry Wilson, Chairman of Alpha Media said, ?We are privileged to buy these stations from such great operators. The Buckley clusters are a great addition to our live and local west coast footprint.?

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Alpha Purchases Buckley Stations in California

10-10-14

Larry Wilson's Alpha Media announced today they have entered into a definitive agreement to purchase radio stations from Buckley Broadcasting of California and Buckley Communications. Buckley Broadcasting and Buckley Communications own six radio stations; four stations located in Bakersfield, California which include KKBB(FM), KLLY(FM), KNZR(AM) and KNZR-FM and two radio stations in Merced, California; KHTN(FM) and KUBB(FM).

Wilson will add the Buckley clusters to the seventy stations (which includes two under LMAs) currently in the Alpha Media portfolio when all pending deals are completed, bringing the total number of stations owned by Alpha Media to seventy-four. Commenting on the acquisition, Wilson said, ?The Buckley clusters in California will be a great addition to the west coast footprint. Merced is a unique city with a thriving arts scene and adventurous community. As one of the fastest growing regions in the nation, Bakersfield is a rich and vibrant city full of live and local opportunities.?

Joseph Bilotta, President and CEO of Buckley Broadcasting and Communications said, ?In Alpha we will pass the mantle and stewardship of our broadcast facilities in Bakersfield and Merced, CA. We have owned these wonderful stations for over 20+ years and our employees, audiences and advertising partners will benefit from the energy and considerable

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Buckley Hires Danny Palacios in Bakersfield

7-17-13

Palacios will program R&B Oldies KKBB (GROOVE 99.3) for Buckley in Bakersfield. Palacios comes over from San Luis Obispo where he was the APD/Production Director for KWWV (WILD 106) and Classic Hits KXTZ.

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Saul Levine Purchases a Buckley Station

5-24-13

Richard Foreman brokers the deal that sends KYZZ-FM in Salinas, California to Saul Levine's Mt. Wilson Broadcasting. No price tag in the announcement. The Buckley Class A (at 97.9) is a sports format carrying ESPN. Buckley will continue the ESPN affiliation on KIDD-AM. Mt. Wilson also owns KKGO-FM and KMZT-AM in the Los Angeles area.

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Would Rick Buckley Have Sold WOR?

8-13-2012

When we asked Buckley CEO Joseph Bilotta if he thought Rick Buckley would ever sell WOR, he said he's asked himself that question 365 times over the last 365 days. Rick Buckley died unexpectedly just about one year ago (July 31, 2011) after suffering a brain embolism on Long Island. On Monday, it was announced that the call letters so closely associated with the Buckley brand would soon become property of Clear Channel.

Bilotta told Radio Ink, "Rick always said to me you never get possessed by a possession." Bilotta says the deal to sell WOR to Clear Channel was approved by the Buckley family and the board of directors and they were unanimous that they wanted to sell it to Clear Channel.

Bilotta said the price was fair and he handled the negotiations directly with Clear Channel's John Hogan. There was never a broker. Billotta says he and the late Rick Buckley walked into the station 23 years ago and wound up buying the station for $22.5 million. "We bought it and had one hell of a run. We did very well." Bilotta spoke about the specific challenges the small company faced. "In 1996, when everyone started building up and we didn't have the resources, we survived. When 9/11 hit, that had an impact on the economy and we survived. Then the downturn in 2008, we survived."

Billota also said this was a one-off deal and there is not discussion about shedding other Buckley Broadcasting assets. He was calling all his managers Monday afternoon to assure them that was the case. Clear Channel will start LMA'ing the station on Wednesday. Bilotta says Clear Channel has told him that it will be business as usual at the station and they are behind the spoken word format.

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Jen Buckley Joins R.A.B. Board

Buckley is the Vice President and Director of Sales at WOR Radio New York. She was elected as a trustee following an election at the RAB Board meeting in New York last week. Buckley has been at WOR for 10 years, first as a local account executive, then local sales manager. She has been in her current role of overseeing Buckley?s New York sales operation at both their station and syndicated network for three years.

Buckley Broadcasting has a long history with the RAB. President and Chief Executive Officer, Joe Bilotta, and the late Rick Buckley both served as Chairs of the Radio Advertising Bureau's Board of Directors and Trustees. Bilotta said, ?With Jen?s involvement on the RAB Board it will be a fitting extension and evolvement of the legacy that her father established with this organization. Rick always believed in the mission of the RAB, and in Jen, we will benefit from the energy and vitality that she will bring to the table?.

Jennifer Buckley is a graduate of Boston College, where she captained the Women?s Ice Hockey Team. 

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Rick Buckley Service Today

The radio industry flag is flying at half staff today in honor of a tremendous family man and a great friend to many in our business. A service for Buckley Broadcasting founder Rick Buckley is being held this morning in Greenwich Connecticut and many of Radio's owners and managers will be in attendance to pay their final respects. Buckley died unexpectedly of a brain embolism in late July. Joe Bilotta was named the new President and CEO of Buckley and in the current issue of Radio Ink Bilotta wrote about his friend, which you can read here:

                                                RICK AND ME BY JOE BILOTTA

Buckley received accolades, industry-wide yesterday, as a man dedicated to his family, his listeners, his employees and his advertisers. Many of those comments are posted in the related stories box attached to this story.

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Bilotta Named President & CEO of Buckley Radio

The Board of Trustees of Buckley Broadcasting announced Monday that long time Chief Operating Officer Joe Bilotta will succeed the recently deceased Richard Buckley as its President & Chief Executive Officer. Bilotta is a career long Buckley associate, serving as COO for the last 10 years.  He has performed in a variety of capacities over the past 4 decades with the Company.   Bilotta?s position will become effective immediately.

 ?In Joe Bilotta we enjoy someone who has unparallel institutional knowledge of our company and the radio broadcasting industry?.He has our utmost confidence and we look to his leadership to continue the long broadcasting history we have with Buckley Radio? said Martha Fahnoe, the Trustee Board representative. Bilotta is a former Chair of the Radio Advertising Bureau and currently serves on their Board.  He has served a 6 year term on the National Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors and is currently the affiliate Board representative on the New Jersey Broadcasters Association.

Bilotta said, ?It is with a profound sadness that we in Buckley Radio move forward after Rick?s tragic and untimely death.  We will all strive to remain in lockstep with his thoughts and ideas.  Soldiering on will not be an easy task, but one that I and all hundreds of employees in our 6 markets and 17 stations will accomplish with integrity, intelligence, enthusiasm and tenacity?. Joe Bilotta is a long time resident of Westport Ct. with his wife Barbara of 38 years.  They have 2 sons and 5 grandchildren.

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Buckley Service Set For September 8th

Bilotta tells Radio Ink the family will have a private service this week for Buckley Radio CEO Rick Buckley who died suddenly this past weekend of a brain embolism. A public service will be held September 8th at 11AM at the Christ Church (254 East Putnam Ave.) in Greenwich, CT. Buckley received accolades, industry-wide yesterday, as a man dedicated to his family, his listeners, his employees and his advertisers. Many of those comments are posted in the related stories box attached to this story.

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Buckley, Reilly and "Willie B" Headed Into NY Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

The New York State Broadcasters Association has announced who will be headed to the New York Broadcaster's hall of Fame. On the radio side,  chairman and CEO of Buckley Radio Rick Buckley will be joined by Joseph A. Reilly, NYSBA president and the late William B. Williams, a New York City radio icon.

Buckley has been a part of the radio industry for more than five decades. He began his career as a page at the National Broadcasting Company.  In 1972, after working in radio in various capacities, he succeeded his father as the operating head of Buckley Radio. Today, it is one of America's remaining privately owned radio companies with 17 radio stations across the nation in addition to the WOR Radio Network, which serves more than 380 stations in the U.S. and Canada.

Reilly has served as the NYSBA's president since 1979. During his 32-year tenure at the association, he has expertly balanced the two worlds of broadcasting and politics. Prior to joining the NYSBA, he founded, co-owned and operated a dozen broadcast properties in Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. Reilly is also credited with launching the career of television impresario Roger King, who subsequently helped launch the careers of such TV personalities as Oprah and Dr. Phil. Reilly, who resides in Voorheesville, N.Y., will step down from his post at the end of June.

Williams, a longtime radio disc jockey and one of the industry's most devoted personalities to playing melodic tunes otherwise known as standards, worked in the industry for more than four decades. Known to his devoted audience and friends simply as "Willie B," he is best remembered for his long tenure as a radio personality at WNEW-AM in New York City. Williams had many friends, including Frank Sinatra, whom he met while the singer was hosting a radio show at WNEW early in his career. He later gave Sinatra the widely known nickname, "Chairman of the Board." For 30 years, Williams began his popular show "Make Believe Ballroom" with the greeting - "Hello World."  He passed away in 1986.

Also going in on the TV side are Regis Philbin, Rod Wood and Carrie Lazarus, who recently celebrated their 25th Anniversary as co-anchors at Syracuse's WSYR-TV, are one of the longest running anchor teams in the nation and Arnold Klinsky, the former vice president and general manager of WHEC-TV in Rochester. The induction ceremony will take place at 49th Executive Conference June 27-28 in Bolton Landing, N.Y.

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