Just a few days after its former owner was sentenced to 10 years in prison, a merger involving Atmore’s 105.9FM WNSI was completed with Gulf Coast Broadcasting receiving final approval from the FCC for the purchase.

The merger began last November when Gulf Coast Broadcasting made the purchase of 105.9FM and 1000AM WNSI from Walter J. Bowen just before he was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a child younger than 12. Bowen was sentenced on Tuesday.

With the completion and FCC approval, 105.9 will now join 105.7 WCSN in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.

Lee Hagan, President of Gulf Coast Broadcasting, said his company is excited about the final approval.

“While Gulf Coast has been operating the two stations for several months, following our purchase in November of 2009, we are extremely happy to receive final FCC approval and officially welcome these two additional stations to our already strong group of radio stations,” Hagan said. “We feel this addition will even further enhance our ability to provide high quality local radio service from a group of stations that remain locally owned and totally committed to the communities we serve.

Hagan also said it will better for advertisers to have one company to go through.

“With coverage from west of Mobile to Pensacola, all of Baldwin County, and much of Escambia County Alabama and Florida, our advertising clients can cover the entire area, using highly rated local stations, and work with just one representative for all,” Hagan said.

The two stations emphasize the “news-talk” formats as “buzz radio” highlighting the “latest buzz” in news. The Buzz starts your weekday morning with 3 hours of LOCAL talk on The Morning Buzz .

The Buzz line-up also includes Conservative Talk from Glenn Beck, Dennis Miller, and Fred Thompson, Financial Talk from Dave Ramsey, Medical Talk from America’s Doctor Dean Edell, Car Talk from Bobby Likis, Home Improvement with Gary Sullivan, and Tech Talk from Leo Laporte, Your Go-To Gadget Guy.

“Sunny 105.7-FM”, (home of the morning “Rick and Bubba” show) primarily serving Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Foley and Pensacola will serve as the flagship station for the group with most administrative functions occurring at that location. WABF in Fairhope serves all of the Eastern Shore and Mobile.”