WATERBURY, Vt. (WCAX) – A longtime Vermont radio outlet has been sold. The Radio Vermont Group announced Thursday it is selling its radio assets, including flagship station WDEV, to Mermel & McClain Management LLC. out of Manchester, Vermont.
A staple for many Vermonters for decades for local news, sports, and opinion, Independent radio station WDEV made a big announcement on its own airwaves Thursday afternoon.
“I feel that this is a very good day and a very good development,” said Ashley Squier the daughter of longtime owner Ken Squier. “Dad loved community radio.”
She says the sale was in the works for nearly a year, but that when her dad died in November, they put the sale on pause.
Ken Squier took over the station from his dad, Lloyd, and ran it for 44 years. “I did grow up on this radio station. I adore this radio station and its mission but there are other people who I think are called to continue that mission,” Ashley said.
The station is staying in local hands. Former Republican U.S. Senate candidate and former Ethan Allen Institute leader Myers Mermel will be the new owner-operator. “I see this very much as a Squier enterprise and this is the next chapter,” Mermel said. He says he has no plans to use the radio stations for political purposes. “It’s not our goal to build an MSNBC, it’s not our goal to build a Fox News… we want to maintain the community radio format. We want to continue to reach all listeners.”
At a time when radio is facing declines, Mermel says his goal is to be more local and grow listenership. “We want to look at different ideas and new ideas in order to increase our ability to discover and identify and bring in content,” he said.
He will be joined by Scott Milne, a Newfane businessman and former Republican gubernatorial candidate, who is also an investor. “I’m here because WDEV is one of the most valuable brands in Vermont history. I don’t want to see it disappear or dissipate to some multinational corporation and it’s going to remain live and local,” Milne said.
As for Ashley Squier, she says even though the station has been sold, she hopes to stick around. “This community radio station is a treasure to me and I want to always be a part of it,” she said.
The private sale is expected to be finalized in a few months.
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