June 29, 2006 — It's official: Ackley Media Group has purchased Knight Quality Stations. Effective midnight Friday, the Knight Quality Stations will officially become the Ackley Media Group Stations (See
"Knight to Sell Radio One, KISS and JAMZ").
The Federal Communications Commission approved the assignment of WVWI 1000-AM (Radio One); WWKS 101.3-FM (KISS-FM); and WVJZ 105.3-FM (104.5 JAMZ) to the Ackley Media Group June 9, according to a release from Ackley.
In addition, the Ackley Group operates WIVI 96.1-FM, Pirate Radio on St. Thomas and three FM stations — ZBEACH, ZR3 and ZROCK — under construction in the British Virgin Islands.
"We are delighted and proud to have the opportunity to build on the exceptional reputation that Randy Knight has built over the years," Gordon Ackley, president and chief executive officer of Ackley Media Group, said. "The commitment to our community to maintain the integrity of the format, features and programming that listeners and businesses respect and enjoy will remain a top priority."
Radio One, which is affiliated with CBS, is all-talk radio. It is one of the most popular AM stations in the territory, with local news provided three times a day. Dr. Joy Browne and Dr. Dean Edell are two of the nationally known syndicated hosts that are broadcast on WVWI.
Ackley said he plans to enhance local news and sports coverage in the Virgin Islands. In addition to the integration of its radio stations through its sister company, Ackley Communications/Surfvi, plans to provide real-time streaming audio, as well as video of in-studio shows broadcast across the Internet.
Ackley was the first to bring a commercial Internet operation to the territory. At one time the owner of VIAccess, Ackley has continued to expand his reach into the communications world with this acquisition.
He has indicated in previous interviews that he does not plan to make any major changes to the stations' formats.
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