BOSTON -
A radio station that has been a staple for alternative rock fans in the Boston area for nearly three decades is undergoing major changes.
Phoenix Media/Communications Group has sold WFNX 101.7 FM to Clear Channel Communications.
Only seven of the station's 21 employees remain after mass-layoffs on Wednesday.
CEO Stephen Mindich blames the sale on what he calls the "Great Recession," saying the station has been difficult to sustain.
In a press release, Mindich recalls WFNX's rich history.
"We introduced Nirvana and Pearl Jam to wider audiences in 1991," says Mindich. "Together with the Boston Phoenix we staged the famous Green Day concert at the Hatch Shell in 1994, and most recently the work of Foster the People, Fun, and Gotye -- to name just a few of the many new groups whose music we introduced to our audience."
The sale still needs to be approved by the Federal Communications Commission. WFNX will remain on the air during the FCC approval process. Events and concerts will go on as scheduled.
For more information on events, visit: www.wfnx.com and www.thephoenix.com
