Davidson Closes on Two AMs  - November 13, 2006

Davidson Media Group last week increased its station count to 43 with the completion of two acquisitions.

In Cincinnati, Davidson picked up Regional Mexican "La Ley" WCVG-AM 1320 from Plessinger Holding. La Ley has been broadcasting since July, when Davidson took control of the station via an LMA with Plessinger. WCVG previously aired Classic Country programming.

In Birmingham, Davidson officially took control of WLPH-AM 1480 from Willis Broadcasting and shifted the station's programming from black Gospel to a Regional Mexican format. WLPH is now calling itself "Radio Latina Mix," and new call letters WRLM await FCC approval.

Both WCVG and WLPH will join the DMG Latino Network, which is comprised of Davidson's Spanish-language stations. Of the company's 43 stations, 34 air Spanish-language formats, seven are formatted with Black Gospel and two are non-ethnic English. The 44th station, WFNO-AM 830 in New Orleans, is operated via an LMA with MC Media Radio Group pending purchase closure. So far, according to CEO Peter Davidson, his company has invested just short of $100 million in the purchase of the 43 stations it currently owns.

"We now have the largest footprint in the fastest-growing areas in the United States, in terms of percentages," says Davidson. "In these new markets, we've really been the strongest Spanish operator, and the populations in these towns have reached critical mass in terms of density."

Davidson says his company was designed specifically to be the first in a nascent Hispanic market. As a result, local account executives take part in what Davidson calls "missionary selling." He explains, "We're generally the first ones in a market to sell Spanish-language radio, but we're in this for the long haul.We look for the strongest signal. We establish ratings supremacy. We're in this for multiyear growth."