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Connoisseur Media

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Zigwithbag (talk | contribs) at 20:29, 2 June 2016 (Company Portfolio: Updated to include acquisition of WBYN). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Connoisseur Media is an American media company based in Westport, Connecticut and led by Jeff Warshaw. Connoisseur operates 39 radio stations and digital assets in 11 markets across the U.S. with a focus on the New York City media market, including Long Island, Connecticut and New Jersey.

History

Connoisseur Media Founder and CEO, Jeff Warshaw built his first station while still a student at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1993, Jeff founded Connoisseur Communications Partners LP, a 39 station group which he later sold to Cumulus Broadcasting in 2000 for $258 million.[citation needed] In 2004, Jeff and CFO Mike Driscoll formed Connoisseur Media which now operates 42 radio station brands and digital assets in 12 markets. The first acquisition of the company involved several stations in Bloomington, IL with capital from hedge fund Farallon Capital, along with its founders. Through a combination of start-ups, move-ins, and acquisitions, Connoisseur Media expanded rapidly over the last several years and maintains a significant presence in the New York City media market. The company owns and/or operates radio stations in the cities of Billings, Montana, Bloomington, Illinois, Erie, Allentown and Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Wichita, Kansas, Long Island, New York, Trenton, New Jersey, and Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven and Stamford, Connecticut.

It was announced in July 2015 that Petrus Holding Company LP invested in Connoisseur Media. [1]

Company Portfolio

Radio

Allentown, PA

  • WTKZ (ESPN Radio of the Lehigh Valley)
  • WBYN (AM) (ESPN Radio of the Lehigh Valley) (licensed to Lehighton, PA)

Bay Shore, NY

Billings, MT

Bridgeport, CT

Easton, PA

Erie, PA

Hartford, CT

Hempstead, NY

Meriden, CT

New Haven, CT

Patchogue, NY

Smithtown, NY

  • WWSK (The Shark 94.3)

Southport, CT

Stroudsburg, PA

Torrington, CT

Trenton, NJ

Waterbury, CT

Wichita, KS

References

  1. ^ Perot Companies Go for Connoisseur Media Paul McLane, Radio World, July 15, 2015