Radio station network will change hands soon

By TOM KANE

HONESDALE, PA –—Listeners may be hearing some unfamiliar voices over local radio stations some time soon.

The deWitt Media Group has agreed to sell its four stations: 95.3 FM-WDNH, 105.3 FM-WYCY, 1590 AM-WPSN and 102.1 FM-WDNB.

The sale is pending the approval of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC).

Last week, Robert Mermell, owner of deWitt, filed for a license-transfer for FCC approval to Vincent Benedetto, owner of Gold Media Group of Tafton, PA.

In an article on deWitt’s website, Benedetto, who has a background in the music and entertainment industry, said the station will remain under local control and management. The article said Benedetto plans to build on the efforts of Mermell and continue offering quality broadcasting to the region.

Benedetto, 29, whose family has had a summer home in the area for three generations, moved here to work for his family business, Creative Arts Recording Labs in Tafton.

“I love the area and when I saw that the DeWitt stations were available, I decided to buy them,” he said. He expects the FCC to approve the sale by early June.

Benedetto, who was recently separated from the Air Force as a captain and who worked in intelligence, said he will not change the station’s programming until he gets acquainted with the station’s routines.

According to an industry website, Media Access, Bold Gold Media Group owns no other radio stations. The website revealed the terms of the sale: the price is $4 million and was an access sale for cash and note. The site states that the agreement is a multi-state deal (Pennsylvania and New York) that includes a $25,000 escrow deposit and an additional payment of $3.5 million cash at closing with a $500,000 promissory note.

Mermell, who is out of town, could not be reached for comment.