Broadcast Transactions 'Taking a Break,' SNL Kagan Says

TV and radio station deals are at their lowest quarterly volume since 2012, SNL Kagan said in an email Thursday. They reached $184.9 million in Q1 2015, compared with $778.1 million in Q1 2014. “The market is taking a break after the historically high volumes of the last two years,” SNL Kagan said. That volume could remain low in 2015 because of “leverage concerns at some of the larger radio companies, as well as the uncertainties surrounding the pending FCC incentive auction,” the industry researcher said. The largest single radio station deal so far in 2015 was the Educational Media Foundation’s $7 million buy of KMCQ(FM) Covington, Washington, from Queen Cities Broadcasting, the firm said. The largest TV deal of 2015 was Neuhoff Communications' $17.5 million sale of two stations to Gray Television, SNL Kagan said.