Urban One Inc., a Maryland-based media business that targets African-American consumers, has acquired four radio stations in Houston, Texas. Urban One, founded by notable Black entrepreneur Cathy Hughes, reached a binding agreement to acquire the stations from Cox Media Group.
The formal agreement comprises 93Q Country KKBQ-FM, classic rock station The Eagle 106.9 & 107.5 KHPT-FM, and Country Legends 97.1 KTHT-FM. This relocation strengthens Urban One’s presence in Houston, demonstrating its commitment to servicing diverse audiences across the US.
The deal, subject to regulatory approval and typical closing conditions, is scheduled to be completed in Q3 2024. Once completed, Urban One is poised to become a key participant in Houston’s radio environment, potentially garnering a larger audience and increasing advertising income.
This acquisition is consistent with Urban One’s long-term objective of growing broadcast coverage in important U.S. markets with large African-American populations. Alfred Liggins, CEO of Urban One Inc. and Cathy Hughes’ son, described the collaboration as a watershed event in the organization’s strategic progress.
Liggins stressed that the acquisition would expand Urban One’s business footprint in Houston, complementing its existing stations and providing the city with a broader selection of music and special event programming.
“Our current stations 97.9 ‘The Box’ and Majic 102.1 are market leaders, and combined with our new stations, allow us to strengthen our business footprint while offering the Houston community more diversified music and special event programming,” he added.
Urban One Inc., founded in 1980 as Radio One by Cathy Hughes, is one of the largest African-American-owned broadcasting organizations in the US. Urban One, which owns 55 radio stations, Reach Media, Interactive One, and TV One, specializes in media holdings geared toward African-American audiences.
Hughes, a media mogul and one of the richest Black women in the United States, runs the Urban One empire with her son, Alfred Liggins. Their pioneering endeavors have made an indelible effect on the business, cementing Urban One’s position as a leading voice for Black America for almost 40 years.
To comply with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ownership requirements, Urban One will need to divest some of its existing stations in Houston. These regulations limit the number of radio stations a single corporation can possess in a particular market.
Despite this constraint, the acquisition paves the way for long-term commercial expansion, with Urban One unlikely to encounter substantial competition concerns because the purchased stations cater to different music genres than its current holdings.