Draper Media has announced its plan to expand with the acquisition of six radio stations from Forever Media, broadening its footprint in the Delaware and Maryland broadcast markets. The transaction includes Wilmington-based WDEL AM & FM and WSTW-FM, WXCY-FM in Havre de Grace, Maryland, as well as WCEI-FM and WINX-FM serving Maryland’s Mid-Shore region.
Draper Media owns a wide array of television and radio stations serving the Delmarva Peninsula. Its television holdings include WBOC-TV (CBS/Fox affiliate), WRDE-LD (NBC affiliate), and WBOC-LD (Telemundo affiliate), along with low-power stations WRUE-LD and WSJZ-LD that extend coverage. In radio, Draper Media operates several stations such as WBOC-FM (Top 40), WCEM and WCEM-FM (country), WAAI (classic country), WTDK (oldies), WGBG-FM (classic rock), WZBH (active rock), and WRDE-FM (country). The company also runs Delmarva Sports Network, a local sports broadcasting platform, and manages a digital media division that oversees websites, apps, and social media channels.
The acquisition is expected to be finalized in the third quarter of 2025, pending approval by the Federal Communications Commission. Once approved, it would consolidate much of the region’s legacy media outlets under one company’s control.
In 2019 Forever Media acquired several Delaware radio stations from Delmarva Broadcasting. As part of that deal, the Altoona, Pennsylvania based company reportedly paid $18.5 million for 93.7 WSTW, News/Talk 1150/101.7 WDEL, 103.7 WXCY, Classic Hits “97.1 The Wave” WAVD, News/Talk “Delaware 105.9” WXDE , Classic Hits “Cool 101.3” WNCL, Hot AC “Eagle 97.7” WAFL, “ESPN Delaware” 930 WYUS/102.1 W271CX, and Christian “Faith 1510” WFAI and one translator.
If approved, the deal would place a significant share of Delaware and Maryland’s heritage broadcast infrastructure under the Draper Media umbrella, reinforcing its stated mission of community-focused programming while potentially reshaping the regional media landscape.
