Mike Huckabee Partner In Radio Station Venture (UPDATED)

Fresh off his departure from Fox News and a new foray into Presidential politics, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee may be wading into the radio ownership business.

Huckabee will be a minority partner in a new radio station venture in Jefferson County, Arkansas, according to records on file Friday with the Federal Communications Commission. New Directions Media Group, an Arkansas LLC, lists Mike Huckabee of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida as a part-owner in a bid to buy a current and several unbuilt station signals.

Huckabee, who served as Arkansas governor from 1996 to 2007 and is considering a presidential bid, will have a 49% equity position in the New Directions Media Group, which is seeking to acquire KTRN 104.5 in White Hall, according to the documents.

William B. Wachter, who is listed as the owner in the paperwork, is based out of Pittsburg, Kansas, while Paul Coates of Thornton, Ark., is listed as managing member and will have a 51% equity stake in the New Directions business venture.

Another Kansas-based company, One Media, Inc., is also involved in the transaction.

According to the paperwork, One Media, Inc., owns radio stations in Altheimer and Pine Bluff, as well as Alva, Okla., and Deerfield, Mo.

The group has also filed papers for new stations in Pine Bluff, Wakeeney, Kansas, Cheyenne, Kansas and Covington, Okla., the paperwork showed. It would appear that Huckabee and his partners are buying Arkansas station licenses from One Media.

Before Huckabee ran for political office, he worked in religious broadcasting in south Arkansas. He has frequently touted his radio background dating back to high school and he’s had national exposure from his daily “Huckabee Report” radio segments.

After running for president in 2008, Huckabee recently left his Fox News Channel program, “Huckabee” and he ended a daily radio show last year.

UPDATE: “This is a business venture Gov. Huckabee has been working on for almost a year,” said Huckabee spokesperson Alice Stewart. “He is an investing partner, yet will not have any day-to-day operational interest. This was an opportunity for Gov. Huckabee to have part ownership of a radio station he once broadcasted on, in a community he still loves, with a friend in broadcasting he’s known from his teenage days when they both worked at KXAR Radio in Hope.”