Galaxy Media Partners


Galaxy Media Partners is a radio broadcasting company with radio stations entirely in the Central New York area. As of 2024, Galaxy owns 13 radio signals in New York.

History

Ed Levine, the company's president, attended the Newhouse School at Syracuse University where his love for radio began. After serving as program director for the college radio station, Levine and two classmates started Syracuse’s first live FM radio station in 1978. On February 12, 1990, the first Galaxy station, WKLL was launched by Levine, and his business partner, Bob Raide. WKLL was named for Ed and wife Pam’s then-19-month-old daughter Lauren. In the 1990s, Galaxy launched additional stations in Syracuse and Utica. In 2001, the headquarters was moved from Bridgeport to a new building in Armory Square, located in downtown Syracuse. WKLL remains owned by Galaxy to this day.
The company was originally named The Radio Corporation; it became Galaxy Communications in May 2000 after a $23 million recapitalization.
Galaxy divested itself of its Albany, New York, cluster and swapped several stations in a multi-owner deal that included Clear Channel Communications in Utica/Rome in 2007. In 2013, Ed Levine became the sole owner after a $13.2 million buyout from the former majority shareholder.
In 2016 Galaxy moved their Utica studios from Washington Mills to Downtown Utica inside the brand new Landmarc building and renamed it Galaxy Media in 2018.
In October 2016, Galaxy Communications agreed to acquire Gamma Broadcasting's stations in Berkshire County, Massachusetts for $3.15 million: WBEC, WBEC-FM, and WUPE in Pittsfield, WNAW and WUPE-FM in North Adams, and WSBS in Great Barrington. The acquisition was never completed; the Gamma stations were instead purchased by Townsquare Media in 2017.
In 2018, Galaxy Communications rebranded to Galaxy Media Company and brought aboard 10 new investors to buy out the shares that had been owned by a private investment firm and help the company reduce debt. The investors included Syracuse University basketball coach Jim Boeheim. Also in 2018, Townsquare Media acquired WOUR in Utica from Galaxy.

Stations

Syracuse/Oswego

Several stations formerly in the Galaxy family were sold to the Educational Media Foundation.
  • WOUR, Now owned by Townsquare Media.
  • The Bone of Albany, New York:
  • WSCP-FM of Sandy Creek/Pulaski, New York
  • WRCK in Utica - Swapped with WOUR
  • WOKR: Remsen, New York

    Pop culture

In February 2024, Galaxy Media was featured on The American Dream, a Bloomberg TV series.