AR Radio: Mike Huckabee To Become Minority Owner

Mike Huckabee

Fresh off his departure from Fox News and a new foray into Presidential politics, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee may be wading into the radio ownership business, according to talkbusiness.net.

Huckabee will be a minority partner, with no day-to-day operations involvement,  in a new radio station venture in Jefferson County, Arkansas, according to records on file Friday with the Federal Communications Commission. New Directions Media Group, an Arkansas LLC, lists Mike Huckabee of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida as a part-owner in a bid to buy a current and several unbuilt station signals.

Huckabee, who served as Arkansas governor from 1996 to 2007 and is considering a presidential bid, will have a 49% equity position in the New Directions Media Group, which is seeking to acquire KTRN 104.5 FM in White Hall.

William B. Wachter, who is listed as the owner in the paperwork, is based out of Pittsburg, Kansas, while Paul Coates of Thornton, Ark., is listed as managing member and will have a 51% equity stake in the New Directions business venture.

Another Kansas-based company, One Media, Inc., is also involved in the transaction.

According to the paperwork, One Media, Inc., owns radio stations in Altheimer and Pine Bluff, as well as Alva, Okla., and Deerfield, Mo.

The group has also filed papers for new stations in Pine Bluff, Wakeeney, Kansas, Cheyenne, Kansas and Covington, Okla., the paperwork showed. It would appear that Huckabee and his partners are buying Arkansas station licenses from One Media.

Before Huckabee ran for political office, he worked in religious broadcasting in south Arkansas. He has frequently touted his radio background dating back to high school and he’s had national exposure from his daily “Huckabee Report” radio segments.