Connoisseur Media

Company type	Private
Industry	Mass media
Genre	Radio broadcasting
Predecessor	Alpha Media
Founded	Westport, Connecticut (2004 (2004))
Founder	Jeff Warshaw
Headquarters	Westport, Connecticut , United States
Number of locations	207
Key people	Jeff Warshaw(President/CEO)
Website	connoisseurmedia.com

Connoisseur Media LLC is an American media company. It is based inWestport, Connecticut and led by Jeff Warshaw. As of September 2025, Connoisseur operates 207 radio stations and digital assets in 24 states.^[1]

Founder andCEO, Jeff Warshaw built his first station while still a student at theWharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1993, Warshaw founded Connoisseur Communications Partners LP, which he later sold toCumulus Broadcasting in 2000 for $258 million.^{[citation needed][2]} In 2004, he and CFO Mike Driscoll formed Connoisseur Media which operates 11 radio stations and various digital markets. The first company's acquisition involved several stations inBloomington, Illinois with capital from hedge fundFarallon Capital, along with its founders. Through a combination of start-ups, move-ins, and acquisitions, Connoisseur Media expanded. It maintains a significant presence in the New York City media market.

It was announced in July 2015 that Petrus Holding Company LP had invested in Connoisseur Media.^[3]

On March 27, 2019, Connoisseur Media announced that it would acquireWFRE and sister stationWFMD from theAloha Station Trust in exchange for transferring itsErie, Pennsylvania cluster toiHeartMedia.^[4][5] The sale closed on May 21, 2019.^[6]

On April 14, 2022, a group led by Warshaw made an unsolicited offer to acquireCumulus Media for $1.2 billion including debt, and take the company private; the offer was rejected by Cumulus, who believed that it was undervalued.^[7][8]

On July 26, 2024, Connoisseur Media announced the sale of WFRE and WFMD to Local Daily Media for $4.275 million.^[9]

In May 2025, Connoisseur Media announced its intent to acquireAlpha Media for an undisclosed amount, and entered into a transitionallocal marketing agreement with all of its stations. The merger will expand the company to 218 stations. Warshaw stated that the acquisition would improve the company'sscale, and "[give it] all the ingredients to be a highly successful local media company for many years to come."^[10] The FCC approved the sale on August 13, 2025, and the sale was consummated on September 4.^[11]

In October 2025, Connoisseur announced its intent to acquireBonneville International's San Francisco cluster, includingKUFX,KBLX-FM,KMVQ-FM andKOIT.^[12]

• Official website

• Radio broadcasting companies of the United States
• Companies based in Westport, Connecticut
• Connoisseur Media radio stations
• Mass media companies established in 2004
• 2004 establishments in Connecticut
• Privately held companies of the United States

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