 | |
| Industry | Radio broadcasting |
|---|---|
| Founded | February 12, 1990 |
Key people | Ed Levine (President) |
| Website | galaxymediapartners |
Galaxy Media Partners (formerly Galaxy Communications) is a radio broadcasting company with radio stations entirely in the Central New York area. As of 2024, Galaxy owns 13 radio signals in New York. [1]
Ed Levine, the company's president, attended the Newhouse School at Syracuse University where his love for radio began. After serving as program director for the college radio station, Levine and two classmates started Syracuse’s first live FM radio station in 1978. On February 12, 1990, the first Galaxy station, WKLL was launched by Levine, and his business partner, Bob Raide. [2] WKLL was named for Ed and wife Pam’s then-19-month-old daughter Lauren. In the 1990s, Galaxy launched additional stations in Syracuse and Utica. In 2001, the headquarters was moved from Bridgeport to a new building in Armory Square, located in downtown Syracuse. WKLL remains owned by Galaxy to this day.
The company was originally named The Radio Corporation; [2] it became Galaxy Communications in May 2000 after a $23 million recapitalization. [3]
Galaxy divested itself of its Albany, New York, cluster and swapped several stations in a multi-owner deal that included Clear Channel Communications in Utica/Rome in 2007. [4] In 2013, Ed Levine became the sole owner after a $13.2 million buyout from the former majority shareholder. [4]
In 2016 Galaxy moved their Utica studios (WKLL, WUMX, WTLB and WRNY) from Washington Mills to Downtown Utica inside the brand new Landmarc building (the old HSBC location) and renamed it Galaxy Media in 2018.
In October 2016, Galaxy Communications (through Galaxy II Media, LLC) agreed to acquire Gamma Broadcasting's stations in Berkshire County, Massachusetts for $3.15 million: WBEC, WBEC-FM, and WUPE in Pittsfield, WNAW and WUPE-FM in North Adams, and WSBS in Great Barrington. [5] [6] The acquisition was never completed; the Gamma stations were instead purchased by Townsquare Media in 2017. [7]
In 2018, Galaxy Communications rebranded to Galaxy Media Company and brought aboard 10 new investors to buy out the shares that had been owned by a private investment firm and help the company reduce debt. The investors included Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim. [8] Also in 2018, Townsquare Media acquired WOUR in Utica from Galaxy. [9]
Several stations formerly in the Galaxy family were sold to the Educational Media Foundation.
In February 2024, Galaxy Media was featured on The American Dream, a Bloomberg TV series. [1]
Townsquare Media, Inc. is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting with the acquisition of the MOG Music Network. As of June 2024, Townsquare was the third-largest AM–FM operator in the country, owning 349 radio stations in 74 markets.
WSBS is a commercial AM radio station in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. It is owned by Townsquare Media and has a full service adult contemporary radio format, mixed with local news, talk and sports. World and national news is supplied by ABC News Radio. WSBS is an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox Radio Network.
WOUR is a commercial radio station licensed to Utica, New York. It broadcasts a classic rock radio format, with occasional recent rock hits, calling itself "The Rock of Central New York". The station is owned by Townsquare Media as part of a cluster with talk station WIBX, country music station WFRG-FM, adult contemporary station WLZW and classic hits station WODZ-FM. The studios and offices are on River Road in Marcy. In morning drive time, WOUR carries the syndicated Free Beer and Hot Wings Show.
WFRG-FM, branded as Big Frog 104, is a country music radio station licensed to Utica, New York. Owned by Townsquare Media as part of a cluster with news-talk station WIBX, hot AC-formatted WLZW, classic hits-formatted WODZ and classic rock-formatted WOUR, it bills itself as "Central New York’s #1 For New Country".
WCYY is a commercial radio station licensed to Biddeford, Maine, and serving the Portland metropolitan area. Its target audience are men between 18 and 44. The station airs an active/alternative rock radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. WCYY studios are at One City Center in Portland.
WKLL, WKRL-FM, and WKRH, known together as K-Rock, are radio stations broadcasting an active rock radio format to Central New York and the Mohawk Valley. Owned by Galaxy Media Partners, the stations provide coverage of Utica-Rome area, the Syracuse metropolitan area, and the Oswego-Fulton area, respectively. Galaxy has studios and offices in Utica and Syracuse.
WLZW is a commercial radio station in Utica, New York, serving the Utica-Rome radio market. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and calls itself Lite 98.7. It is part of a cluster with news-talk station WIBX, country-formatted WFRG-FM, classic hits station WODZ-FM, and classic rock-formatted WOUR.
WTLB is an American AM radio station in Utica, New York. WTLB also simulcasts in Rome, New York, on WRNY and translator station W243DY. All three stations are affiliated with ESPN Radio, and are owned by Galaxy Media Partners.
WIXT is an AM radio station broadcasting on a frequency of 1230 kHz and licensed to the city of Little Falls, New York. Owned by Galaxy Media Partners, the station airs a variety hits format under the branding Tony FM 99.1.
WKVU is a radio station broadcasting a Christian adult contemporary format. Licensed to Utica, New York, United States, the station serves the Utica–Rome metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by the Educational Media Foundation, and is an affiliate of the K-Love network.
WAWR is a radio station broadcasting a Christian worship format airing programming from the nationally syndicated Air1 feed. Licensed to Remsen, New York, United States, the station serves the Utica–Rome area. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation.
WODZ-FM, branded as "The Eagle", is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to Rome, New York, United States, the station serves the Utica–Rome market. The station is owned by Townsquare Media as part of a cluster with news-talk station WIBX, classic rock-formatted WOUR, hot AC-formatted WLZW, and country-formatted WFRG.
WUMX is a radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Rome, New York, United States, the station serves the Utica–Rome metropolitan area. The station is owned by Galaxy Utica Licensee LLC, the Utica division of Galaxy Media Partners.
WBEC-FM is a commercial radio station in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format.
WUPE is a commercial AM radio station in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It is owned by Townsquare Media and it simulcasts the classic hits format of 100.1 WUPE-FM. WUPE serves the Berkshire Mountains area. The station is a daytimer and must sign off the air at sunset, according to Federal Communications Commission rules.
WZUN is a radio station airing a classic hits format, twin-licensed to both Sandy Creek and Pulaski, New York, and effectively serving the Syracuse market to the south. The station is owned by Galaxy Media Partners, and is part of a simulcast with 102.1 WZUN-FM.
WBEC is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a talk and sports radio format. It is licensed to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and is owned by Townsquare Media.
WUPE-FM is a classic hits radio station owned by Townsquare Media. Licensed to North Adams, Massachusetts, United States, WUPE-FM serves Pittsfield.
WNAW is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to North Adams, Massachusetts, United States, the station serves northern Berkshire County. The station is owned by Townsquare Media, and features programming from ABC News Radio. Its programming is also heard on FM translator W234DD (94.7).
WWEI is a radio station in Easthampton, Massachusetts, serving Springfield with a sports radio format. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. Most programming is provided by Boston sister station WEEI-FM.