Connoisseur Media has announced a ‘definitive agreement’ to acquire Alpha Media. Photo Credit: Connoisseur
Looks like Connoisseur Media’s radio reach is about to get a lot bigger, as the company’s announced the acquisition of Alpha Media.
Westport-headquartered Connoisseur unveiled its “definitive agreement” for Portland-based Alpha Media today. Subject to FCC approval but expected to wrap during 2025’s second half, the deal will bring 218 radio stations, operating in 47 markets, under the same banner, the parties emphasized.
The lion’s share of those stations will come from the self-described “leader in the local advertising space” Alpha; as things stand, Connoisseur says it operates 11 stations. Meanwhile, the companies are also banking on bolstered “digital capabilities” with the integration of Alpha Digital into Connoisseur’s Ferocious Digital.
Shifting to the organizational side, Connoisseur opted against diving into personnel particulars in the announcement, and time will tell whether the purchase brings layoffs.
However, the business did spell out that it intends to operate as Connoisseur post-buyout, with CEO Jeff Warshaw remaining at the helm. Longtime Alpha Media head Bob Proffitt didn’t provide a statement for Connoisseur’s release and hadn’t addressed the transaction on LinkedIn at the time of writing.
But in his own remarks, Warshaw made clear an objective of turning the united operations into “an industry-leading platform of broadcast and digital.”
“This transaction underscores our commitment to the irreplaceable role local broadcasters play in providing news, information and entertainment that truly resonates,” Warshaw said in part. “Together, we will build an industry-leading platform of broadcast and digital. I could not be more excited to get started.”
Also absent from the formal announcement are price-tag details. Nevertheless, Connoisseur did acknowledge that “[f]inancing for the transaction is being provided by Brigade Capital Management.”
This means Brigade’s been involved with at least two high-profile radio deals on the year. Earlier in 2025, the Family Dollar buyer (and would-be Macy’s purchaser) disclosed an investment, referring here to senior notes financing, in a Beasley Broadcast subsidiary. Beasley proper (NASDAQ: BBGI) owns and operates 69 stateside radio stations, according to its LinkedIn profile.
Bigger picture, it’s been about seven months since Audacy, said to be the States’ second-largest radio company, officially emerged from bankruptcy under controlling stakeholder Soros Fund Management. (March 2025 then brought a far-reaching round of layoffs at Audacy.)
Once the Alpha acquisition wraps, Connoisseur says the combined entity “will rank among the top 10 radio groups both by station count and by revenue.”
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