Connoisseur Continues To Shed Stations

Connoisseur Media is selling all four of its radio stations in Luverne, Minnesota and Madison, South Dakota to two entities under the Christensen Broadcasting umbrella, with the deals announced Monday and expected to close in early 2026 pending FCC approval.

Christensen Broadcasting LUV LLC will acquire country-formatted KLQL-FM (101.1 KQ102) and oldies KQAD-AM (1280 The Ticket) in Luverne, Minnesota, while Christensen Broadcast Group, Inc. will purchase country KJAM-FM (1390/103.1 JAMZ) and oldies/classic hits KJAM-AM in Madison, South Dakota. 

The sales continue Connoisseur’s portfolio pruning that began with its September 2025 acquisition of 13 Alpha Media clusters and reflect a strategic exit from small, non-core Upper Midwest markets.

Jeff Warshaw

Jeff Warshaw, Founder and CEO of Connoisseur Media, stated the stations “did not fit into the vision we have for Connoisseur” and emphasized the deliberate choice of local buyers: “We looked for local operators with experience in these communities who could serve them best. We are very happy that Christensen Broadcasting shares our values and stepped up to the challenge.”

Christensen Broadcasting welcomed the expansion, saying in a statement: “We are grateful for the opportunity to strengthen locally focused broadcasting within these communities. We look forward to honoring each station’s legacy while supporting their continued growth and service.”

The four stations serve combined populations under 25,000 and are the primary local radio voices in their respective counties. KLQL and the Madison duo rank #1 or #2 in their markets per recent Nielsen ratings, while KQAD provides critical local sports and emergency information in Rock County, Minnesota.

Kalil & Co., Inc. brokered the transactions. Connoisseur was represented by Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP; the Christensen entities by Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC.The divestitures leave Connoisseur Media focused on its larger clusters in markets such as Billings, MT; Frederick, MD; and the recently added Alpha Media properties in places like Dayton, OH and Amarillo, TX, aligning with Warshaw’s long-stated preference for mid-sized and larger markets over unrated or small-rated standalone operations.