Connoisseur Media of Westport, Connecticut, has finalized its acquisition of Alpha Media, bringing the Coachella Valley’s six-station Alpha Palm Springs radio station cluster under new ownership as part of a nationwide expansion that pushes Connoisseur into the top tier of U.S. radio groups. The deal received approval from the Federal Communications Commission on August 13 and closed on September 4, the companies said.
Connoisseur now operates 216 stations in 47 markets and says its combined platform reaches roughly 20% of U.S. radio listeners. The Greater Palm Springs market joins newly added clusters in San Antonio, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Jose and Louisville. “Local broadcasting has always been at the heart of what we do,” Connoisseur CEO Jeff Warshaw said, calling the deal a scale play to “keep radio strong” while deepening community service and advertiser value.
What changes in Palm Springs with the Connoisseur Media acquistion
Station websites across the former Alpha Palm Springs cluster now display Connoisseur ownership in their footers, an early sign of the transition. Brands include 98.5 The Bull (KDES-FM), Mix 100.5 (KPSI-FM), Real Rock 93.7 KCLB, K-NEWS 94.3/104.7 (KNWZ/KNWQ), U-92.7 (KKUU) and 106.9 The Eagle (KDGL).
Ahead of closing, the Palm Springs cluster publicly posted its FCC transfer notice. An FCC Applications page for Mix 100.5 notes that on May 19, 2025, Alpha Media Licensee, LLC sought consent to transfer control to Connoisseur Media Holdco, Inc.
How the deal was structured
Industry and legal disclosures indicate the transaction involved the assumption/refinancing of Alpha’s debt and an equity component for former Alpha stakeholders. Regulatory counsel Wiley states that Connoisseur acquired Alpha’s stock and assumed outstanding liabilities at the close; a separate trade report details a reorganization in which Alpha’s owners exchanged their equity for a 3.75% stake in Connoisseur, plus two warrants to buy up to an additional 10% of Connoisseur’s stock under specified valuation thresholds.
Programming and leadership notes
With the closing, Alpha’s longtime programming head Phil Becker exited the company, and Connoisseur named Keith Dakin senior vice president of programming. Both moves were reported in industry trades in the days surrounding the close.
Digital plans and what’s next
On the digital side, the companies have said Connoisseur’s Ferocious Digital will be integrated with Alpha Digital, a move expected to offer combined broadcast-and-digital solutions to local advertisers in markets like Greater Palm Springs. Before closing, the companies operated under a local marketing agreement beginning in early May.
Connoisseur Media began with heritage stations in Connecticut and Long Island and now ranks among the top 10 U.S. radio broadcasters by station count and revenue following the Alpha deal. Alpha Media was based in Portland, Oregon, and owned more than 200 stations before the sale.
