MIAMI, Florida — Newsmax Radio has agreed to buy two Miami radio stations from Latino Media Network: WAQI (710 AM), known as Radio Mambí, and WQBA (1140 AM). The proposed deal would give the cable news company its first broadcast radio stations.
Radio Online reported a combined price of $1.8 million: $1.26 million for WAQI and $540,000 for WQBA. License assignment applications filed November 6 with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are listed as pending. Neither a closing nor a transfer date has been announced.
In its November 9 announcement, reported by Barrett Media, Newsmax said it plans to invest in local programming and news coverage and bring Radio Mambí content to its national digital platforms. The Desk reported that the company wants to bring back locally focused Spanish-language news and talk on WAQI. Newsmax has not detailed either station’s lineup or set a date for the programming changes.
The two stations were among the Univision outlets the FCC cleared for transfer to Latino Media Network in 2022.
Radio News Now question: How much of the new lineup will be produced in South Florida for local listeners?