Wichita Radio: Rocking M's KKGQ, KWME Back On-Air

KKGQ's former logo

The on-again, off-again KKGQ, 92.3 FM Newton, KS and KWME 92.7 FM Wellington, KS have returned to the air, but Rocking M Media CEO Monte Miller apparently does not want to discuss it, reports kansas.com.

“We put it back on the air is all,” said the owner of Salina-based Rocking M Media.

The new station is calling itself Sizzlin’ Hot Country 92.3, the Brand.

“I’m not even sure of that,” Miller said before hanging up.

He did not respond to a follow-up text to ask if he’s going to return other former Wichita-area Rocking M stations to the air.  The other Wichita stations involved are KIBB, 97.1-FM, which is known as Bob; KVWF, 100.5-FM, which is known as Flight; and KWME, 92.7-FM, which is known as the Blast. Also included in the deal was to be Wellington’s KLEY, 100.3-FM and 1130-AM, which is known as the Wave; and Winfield’s KKLE, 1550-AM, a news and talk station.

Allied Media Partners’ attempted last year to acquire Rocking M’s six Wichita-area radio stations.

While the purchase was pending, AMP and Rocking M had an agreement for AMP to operate the stations.

However, Miller said the deal for a sale fell apart because Allied couldn’t come up with $6.2 million to buy the stations.  AMP CEO Matt Baty said the issue was that Rocking M wouldn’t clear the liens on its assets in order to close the deal.

Amid the dispute, Envision Broadcast Group — the landlord for the stations — took all the stations off the air due to what it called Rocking M’s failure to pay for the KKGQ license.

Envision is involved because of its previous ownership of KKGQ and its status as the licensee.

Envision has filed two lawsuits against Rocking M and various members of the Miller family.

One suit alleges Rocking M failed to meet a payment schedule to buy KKGQ and its assets, and the other alleges Rocking M failed to vacate the building at the end of its lease and that once locked out it left behind damaged property. The suit also alleges that some property is missing and that Rocking M failed to pay all of the rent it owed on parking spaces.