Connoisseur Media has announced plans to sell its stations in Brookings, Clear Lake, and Volga, South Dakota. The stations were acquired from Alpha Media last year.
In Brookings, KRBK AM and FM will be transferred to Brookings Radio. The company is owned by Cami and Derrick Powers, and Chad Hogie. The company will also acquire KDBX-FM in Clear Lake, and KJJQ-AM and KKQQ-FM in Volga. The sale is pending FCC approval. Both Connoisseur Media and Brookings Radio expected the purchase to close in the second quarter.
“The Brookings market did not fit into the long-term vision we set out for Connoisseur,” said CEO and Founder Jeff Warshaw. “As we pursued a potential sale, we looked for local quality operators to purchase these stations and found that the best operators in the market already worked for us!
“This is not the first time we have encouraged some of our local management to break into ownership so that they could continue to serve the communities we are so committed to,” he continued. “We are incredibly happy that Cami and her group stepped up to the challenge.”
Cami Powers began her career at KBRK AM and FM in 1994. She’s served as the Market Manager for the company. Meanwhile, Hogie has been the Business Manager for the cluster since 2015.
“Turning this dream into a reality has been incredibly meaningful, and I’m deeply grateful to Jeff and Connoisseur Media for the opportunity,” owner Cami Powers said. “I’m fortunate to do what I love alongside a team of dedicated professionals who share that same passion. Together, we’ll continue building on what we value most—serving our clients, listeners, and community with trusted, locally focused broadcasting.”
“To us, local radio has always been the lifeblood for a close-knit community,” added Hogie. “From local sports, news, weather updates, and community involvement, we want our listeners and advertisers to be as informed and invested in our neighborhoods as we are. Radio is always on, always free, a no-subscription, no-password source of entertainment and information for everyone. We are excited to keep it that way!”
With the sale of these stations, Connoisseur Media will exit the state of South Dakota. It also previously sold its stations in Watertown, South Dakota.
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