Federal Communications Commission FCC 07-41
STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER ROBERT M. MCDOWELL
Re: Applications of Citadel Broadcasting Company for Consent to Renewal and for 
Assignment of Licenses; and of Shareholders of Citadel Broadcasting 
Corporation and of the Walt Disney Co. for Consent to Transfers of Control, 
Memorandum Opinion and Order and Notice of Apparent Liability 
In this Order, we approve the sale of 24 ABC radio stations, all of which are 
located in top-20 radio markets, to Citadel, which until now has owned stations in 
markets below the top-30 Arbitron markets.  As we have seen with other recent 
transactions, this transaction results in a “big media” company selling off broadcast 
properties.  Because there is virtually no overlap between the radio markets in which the 
ABC and Citadel stations operate, this transfer complies with our local radio ownership 
rule.  Competition will be improved further because as a result of the transfer, Citadel 
must divest its grandfathered interests in 11 stations in seven markets, where such 
ownership was permitted under our previous ownership rule but not under our current 
rule.  The relevant markets are Albuquerque, New Mexico; Little Rock, Arkansas; 
Charleston, South Carolina; Portland, Maine; Saginaw-Bay City, Michigan; and 
Lafayette, Louisiana.  This is a terrific buying opportunity that I hope new entrants and 
small businesses, including those owned by women and minorities, will be able to take 
advantage of to increase the diversity of broadcast owners in our country.  
I thank the Media Bureau for its hard work and I support the Order.