The Spring Thaw Has Started Early

The frozen station trading market is starting to thaw. Media Services Group has actually announced some sales and some closings in recent weeks (including Jody McCoy's Denver sale) after months of dormancy. With our size and scope, we're a good barometer for the state of the marketplace. And pressure is rising.

The credit markets remain a problem, but I take Salem's recent debt placement and Clear Channel's recent upgrade as positive steps. Some sellers in the small markets are now considering seller financed transactions.

Reports from the station operators around the country are generally upbeat about QI business (albeit against easy comps). It appears that national business has turned the corner. The spring thaw has begun a little early this year.

George
Media Services Group

See you in a week

Loree and I are leaving today for a week long visit to Cuba. This is our second trip. We are traveling (legally!) on behalf of Methodists United in Prayer, a relationship between the Florida and Cuba Methodist Churches.

As we will not have access to the web, cell phones, or email, these pages will be silent for a week. We'll chat again after we return on February 11.

George
Media Services Group

Meet the Media Services Group partners: Greg Merrill

This post completes my series of highlights of my partners at Media Services Group. We are proud of the twenty years of service to the broadcast industry. We wrap up with another of our co-founders, Greg Merrill.

Greg anchors our Salt Lake City office from Logan, Utah. Over 26 years as a broker/consultant, and with a thorough knowledge of the broadcasting industry, he as prepared hundreds of appraisals and station analyses. In addition, he has 13 years of owner/operator experience.

Greg has served as a Court Appointed Receiver for District Court Boise (KDJQ-AM) and has been involved in Bankruptcy cases and/or served as expert witness in:

•Boise, Idaho Federal Bankruptcy Court
•Salt Lake City Federal Bankruptcy Court
•Expert witness in Phoenix, Arizona; Eugene Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Bakersfield, California

Greg has sold over 150 stations in Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Washington, Oregon and California. He holds a B.S. Business Administration degree and a Master’s Degree in Communications from Utah State University.

I am honored to work with this group of professionals. Collectively, we bring hundreds of years of service to broadcasters, lenders and investors. All of my partners put integrity first. Maybe that's why we're still around and successful after twenty years.

George

Media Services Group