Local stations sold

Curtis Media Group has purchased six area radio stations a year after the stations fell into receivership.

Aisling Broadcasting announced that the Raleigh-based group bought the stations for $2.325 million on March 1.

The stations include 106.1 FM WMMY Jefferson, 102.3 FM WECR Beech Mountain, 100.7 FM WZJS Banner Elk, 1200 AM WXIT Blowing Rock, 1450 AM WATA Boone, and 1130 AM WECR Newland.

Curtis Media owns 19 radio stations. Al Bunch, who operates Foothills Radio Group in Lenoir, will oversee the radio stations while Tom Lanier will continue as general manager.

Curtis CEO Donald Curtis said Aisling will be renamed ADventures LLC and he will serve as CEO of the High Country group as well.

“We are excited about the prospects of this cluster of stations, and look forward to enhancing the programming services offered by the station,” he said in a press release.

Former Aisling principal Jonathan Hoffman paid nearly $6 million for the stations in 2004.

Aisling went into receivership proceedings in March 2008 after Superior Court Judge James L. Baker appointed George Reed, managing director of Media Services Group, receiver for Aisling Broadcasting.

Curtis made the bid in October.