CBS buys WRXP-FM New York as part of sports radio expansion
It’s a good day for New York sports fans but a bad day for music lovers.
CBS Corp. is buying WRXP-FM, a New York City radio station that currently plays alternative rock music, for $75 million.
WRXP will be singing a different tune when CBS takes over. Rather than keep a music format, CBS is planning on turning the station into an all-sports radio station.
Initially, WRXP will simulcast the CBS-owned all-sports talk station on WFAN-AM. It will also change its call sign to WFAN-FM.
However, down the road CBS will look to differentiate the two stations. In January, CBS is rolling out a national radio network devoted to sports that it will syndicate around the country. In New York, WFAN-AM will eventually become the home to the CBS Sports Radio national service. The local programming on that station would then migrate to WFAN-FM.
Currently owned by Merlin Media LLC, WRXP has struggled for years to find an audience and gone through numerous format changes over the years.
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Follow Joe Flint on Twitter @JBFlint.
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