Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Quick Rock, WBLF Join Schlesinger Communications
LOCK HAVEN – It’s now official: Schlesinger Communications, Inc has assumed ownership of multiple longstanding radio stations serving State College and Bellefonte, along with a Clinton County station licensed to Renovo.
Following recent FCC approval, the sales agreement with Magnum Broadcasting, Inc was executed earlier this week, according to Jeffry O. Schlesinger, the Lock Haven-headquartered company’s president and CEO. The acquisition includes Quick Rock, WQCK, 105.9, State College; WQKK, at 106.9, Renovo; and WBLF, Bellefonte, AM 970 and FM, 106.3.
Schlesinger said programming will remain basically unchanged at the Centre County stations but said as of this week, what had been WQKK in Renovo is now WVSQ, rebroadcasting the Schlesinger’s flagship station, WSQV. He said the change-over will give WSQV complete coverage over all of Clinton County and beyond and improve the station’s signal into the Bellefonte and State College areas as well.
Schlesinger said the deal with Magnum had been initially signed in mid-March, the same day that Gov. Tom Wolf announced a statewide lockdown due to the coronavirus. While he said there were those at the time who told him, “You’re crazy,” he responded, “Opportunity doesn’t know a good time.” He termed the purchase “good timing.”
Mark “the Shark” Schlesinger, company vice-president-programming and longtime WSQV morning personality, said the Centre County expansion was made possible thanks to station employees, listeners and advertisers.
Acquisition of the four licenses comes a decade after the Schlesingers made their first broadcast purchase, WSQV and WBPZ in Lock Haven. In regards the expansion into Centre County, Jeffrey Schlesinger said his company will “maintain the same philosophy and approach to the community as we’ve done the last ten years.”
Acquisition of Quick Rock out of State College gives the Schlesingers title to one of central Pennsylvania’s first classic rock stations, dating back more than half a century.
According to the filing with the FCC, the purchase price was $25,000 and the assumption of a note for Quick Rock and $350,000 for WBLF.