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Off the air: Vandals target Waco radio stations

“They had to know what they were doing and a little bit about radio,” programming director David Smoak said.

WACO, Texas — A Central Texas broadcast company was vandalized Thursday evening, leaving popular radio stations off the air.

M & M Broadcasters in Waco is home to 11 local radio stations:

  • ESPN Central Texas radio
  • 104.9 Bob FM
  • The Highway
  • 101.3 FM
  • Magic 104.5 FM 
  • La Mejor
  • 106.1 FM
  • 1590AM  
  • 93.3 FM
  • FOX Sports
  • 92.9 Shooter FM

Programming director for ESPN Central Texas Radio David Smoak said numerous wires and cables were cut. He said some employees heard noise on the roof and walked out the side door. The employees said they saw a man in a white BMW with a Texas Longhorns logo on the back.

“Why would anybody just randomly just show up?” Smoak said. “They had to know what they were doing and a little bit about radio.”

Waco police are trying to find the person who vandalized the station.

Engineers worked around the clock to get the 11 stations affected back on air.

"He knew what he was doing, knew where he was going. Cut the cables, cut the phone line, cut everything,” Smoak said. “He knocked us off the air for about eight to ten hours, but we found a way now. Thank goodness, we are back on air now."

Knocking a radio station off air is an FCC violation meaning the person responsible could face felony charges, according to Waco police.

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