Radio stations B-103 and WMAJ-AM sold to Froggy 98 owner

Pending approval from the Federal Communications Commission, two local radio stations will be sold to the owner of popular country music station WGFY-FM (98.1) or Froggy 98. Both WBHV-FM (103.1) and WMAJ-AM (1450), however, expect their programming to remain unchanged.

Nittany Broadcasting Co., which is owned by Pittsburgh-based Burbach Broadcasting, announced Friday it would sell the stations to Altoona's Forever of PA LLC. Burbach has owned the stations since 1988.

Rod Burnham, general manager of WBHV and WMAJ, said the staffs of both stations are excited about the sale, adding that he expected no major changes to take place at either station when Forever of PA takes over.

"We are extremely enthusiastic," Burnham said. "They are excellent radio operators and we are delighted to become part of their overall company."

Carol Logan, president of Forever of PA, said the company had been in conversations with Burbach throughout the last five years. She said the company's timing and price was right, so Burbach went through with the deal.

Logan said she looks forward to working with the existing staffs and formats of both stations.

"The people (at WBHV and WMAJ) are full of life and a lot of fun," she said.

The two stations are the oldest in the county, first broadcasting in 1945. WBHV and WMAJ, however, cater to very different audiences.

WBHV's target audience is young adults, as it features a mix of contemporary music. The artists on the station's play list range from accessible rock acts such as Third Eye Blind and Matchbox 20 to perennial chart-toppers such as Janet Jackson and Bryan Adams.

News-and-sports station WMAJ, meanwhile, aims for older adults with a selection of talk shows and sporting events. The station carries nationally syndicated programs by conservative talkers Rush Limbaugh and G. Gordon Liddy, but also carries University and professional sports and sports talk shows.

Maryann Eberle, general sales manager of the State College office of Forever of PA, said FCC approval should be completed within 60 to 90 days. After the sale goes through, Eberle said the stations' sales staffs will merge.

However, Logan said there are no plans to cut back any either of the stations' staffs.