WEPM/WKMZ buys country station

January 13, 1998

WEPM/WKMZ buys country station

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - The company that owns WEPM/WKMZ will be adding a country music station to the fold with the purchase of WYII in Williamsport.

"We have signed an agreement for purchase, pending FCC approval," said Yogi Yoder, the general manager at WEPM/WKMZ. He said he expects the approval within about three months.

"It's a pretty complementary format," Yoder said of the purchase of WYII. The station will add a country format for Prettyman Broadcasting Co., with WEPM broadcasting sports and sports talk shows on the AM dial and WKMZ playing adult contemporary rock music on FM.

He said WYII, 95.9 on the FM dial, is in its 25th year and is owned by Kenneth Smith. Yoder did not disclose the terms of the sale, but said a time brokerage agreement went into effect last Tuesday, with Prettyman Broadcasting taking over the programming and sales until the license is transferred.

"There'll still be offices located in Williamsport or Hagerstown ... I'm looking for office space right now," Yoder said. He said the station needs more room and plans are to move out of the offices at 6 E. Potomac St. in Williamsport.

According to Yoder, WEPM/WKMZ has about 20 full-time employees and a number of part-time workers. He said WYII has about eight or nine full-time on-air, sales and office personnel.

- Don Aines

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