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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Form 10-K

Commission file number 0-15392

REGENT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

100 East RiverCenter Boulevard

(859) 292-0030

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Common Stock, $.01 par value per share

      Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.     Yes þ          No o

      Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o

      Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).     Yes þ          No o

      As of June 28, 2002, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $261,468,877 based upon the closing sale price of $7.05 on the Nasdaq Stock Market’s National Market for that date. (For purposes hereof, directors, executive officers and 10% or greater stockholders have been deemed affiliates.)

      The number of common shares of registrant outstanding as of March 14, 2003 was 46,496,168.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

      Portions of registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement to be filed during April 2003 in connection with the 2003 Annual Meeting of Stockholders presently scheduled to be held on May 14, 2003 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.

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REGENT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

INDEX TO ANNUAL REPORT

      Regent Communications, Inc. is a holding company. We own and operate our radio stations and hold our radio broadcast licenses in separate subsidiaries. In this report, when we use the term “Regent” and the pronouns “we,” “our” and “us,” we mean Regent Communications, Inc. and all its subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires.

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PART I

General Development of Business

      We are a radio broadcasting company focused on acquiring, developing and operating radio stations in mid-sized and small markets. We currently own 53 FM and 20 AM radio stations in 17 markets in California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas. We have entered into a written agreement to exchange our four radio stations serving the Duluth, Minnesota market for five radio stations serving the Evansville, Indiana market. In conjunction with the above exchange, we are currently providing programming and certain other services to the Evansville stations, and the purchaser of the Duluth stations are providing the same such services to those stations. We have also entered into written agreements to acquire two additional stations in an existing market and currently provide programming and certain other services to one of the stations pending completion of its purchase. After the completion of our pending transactions, we will own 56 FM and 20 AM radio stations in 16 markets. Our assembled clusters of radio stations rank first or second in terms of revenue share in all of our markets that are ranked by BIA Publications, Inc. in their Investing in Radio 2002 Market Report, except Albany, New York, where our cluster ranks third.

      Our primary strategy is to secure and maintain a leadership position in the markets we serve and to expand into additional mid-sized and small markets where we can achieve a leadership position. After we enter a market, we seek to acquire stations that, when integrated with our existing operations, will allow us to reach a wider range of demographic groups that appeal to advertisers, increase revenue and achieve substantial cost savings. Additionally, we believe that our advertising pricing on the basis of cost per thousand impressions, combined with the added reach of our radio station clusters, allows us to compete successfully for advertising revenue against non-radio competitors such as print media, television and outdoor advertising.

      Relative to the largest radio markets in the United States, we believe that the mid-sized and small markets represent attractive operating environments because they are generally characterized by the following:

	•	a greater use of radio advertising compared to the national average;
	•	substantial growth in advertising revenues as national and regional retailers expand into mid-sized and small markets;
	•	a weaker competitive environment characterized by small independent operators, many of whom lack the capital to produce locally-originated programming or to employ more sophisticated research, marketing, management and sales techniques;
	•	less direct format competition due to a smaller number of stations in any given market; and
	•	lower overall susceptibility to fluctuations in general economic conditions due to a lower percentage of national versus local advertising revenues.

      We believe that these operating characteristics, coupled with the opportunity to establish or expand radio station clusters within a specific market, create the potential for revenue growth and cost efficiencies.

      Our portfolio of radio stations is diversified in terms of geographic location, target demographics and format. We believe that this diversity helps insulate us from downturns in specific markets and changes in format preferences.

Completed Acquisitions and Dispositions

      We completed the following acquisitions and dispositions of radio stations during 2002. The purchase prices set forth below were paid in cash, except where otherwise indicated, and include, where applicable, amounts paid under non-competition agreements, but do not include transaction-related costs.

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Acquisitions

      We completed the following acquisition in 2003:

(1)	The purchase price paid consisted of approximately $0.6 million in cash and 209,536 shares of our common stock.
(2)	The purchase price paid consisted of approximately $3.9 million in cash and 174,917 shares of our common stock.
(3)	WQUS-FM formerly operated under the call letters WRXF-FM.
(4)	KKQZ-FM, purchased as a construction permit, began broadcast operations on November 1, 2002.

Dispositions

Pending Transactions

      We currently have transactions pending which, if completed, will result in the purchase by us of seven radio stations and the sale by us of four radio stations. Closing of these transactions are subject to certain conditions, including required governmental approvals.

      On February 27, 2003, we entered into an agreement to exchange substantially all of the assets of KKCB-FM, KLDJ-FM, KBMX-FM and WEBC-AM, serving the Duluth, Minnesota market, plus $2.7 million in cash, for substantially all the assets of WYNG-FM, WDKS-FM, WKRI-FM, WGBF-FM and WGBF-AM, serving the Evansville, Indiana market. On March 1, 2003, we began providing programming and other

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      On January 10, 2003, we entered into an agreement to purchase substantially all of the assets of KKPL-FM and KARS-FM, serving the Fort Collins-Greeley, Colorado market from AGM-Nevada, L.L.C. for $7.75 million. The purchase price is payable in a combination of $5.0 million in cash and $2.75 million in Regent common stock, based on a per share price equal to the average daily closing price for the ten consecutive trading days ending on the second trading day immediately preceding the closing date. In the event the average share price for that period is less than $7.50 per share we may, at our sole discretion, reallocate the purchase price to increase the amount of cash consideration and reduce the portion paid in Regent common stock. On February 1, 2003, we began providing programming and other services to KKPL-FM under a time brokerage agreement. We have placed $387,500 in escrow to secure our obligations under this agreement.

Acquisition Strategy

      Our acquisition strategy is to expand within our existing markets and into new mid-sized and small markets where we believe we can effectively use our operating strategies. In considering new markets, we focus on those markets that have a minimum of $8.0 million in gross radio advertising revenue where we believe we can build a station cluster that will generate at least $1.0 million in annual broadcast cash flow. The term “broadcast cash flow” means operating income (loss) before depreciation and amortization, corporate general and administrative expenses, gain (loss) on sale of long-lived assets, and impairment of goodwill and FCC licenses. Although broadcast cash flow is not a measure of performance calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, we believe that broadcast cash flow is accepted by the broadcasting industry as a generally recognized measure of performance and is used by analysts who report publicly on the performance of broadcasting companies. Nevertheless, this measure should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for operating income (loss), net income (loss), net cash provided by (used in) operating activities or any other measure for determining our operating performance or liquidity that is calculated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Although significant competition exists among potential purchasers for suitable radio station acquisitions throughout the United States, we believe that there is currently less competition, particularly from the larger radio operators, in the mid-sized and small markets. After entering a market, we seek to acquire additional stations that will allow us to reach a wider range of demographic groups to appeal to advertisers and increase revenue. We also integrate these stations into our existing operations in an effort to achieve substantial cost savings. We have sold or will sell stations in different markets that did not or do not fit within our existing acquisition strategy.

      We believe that the creation of strong station clusters in our local markets is essential to our operating success. In evaluating an acquisition opportunity in a new market, we assess our potential to build a leading radio station cluster in that market over time. We will not consider entering a new market unless we can acquire multiple stations in that market. We also analyze a number of additional factors we believe are important to success, including the number and quality of commercial radio signals broadcasting in the market, the nature of the competition in the market, our ability to improve the operating performance of the radio station or stations under consideration and the general economic conditions of the market.

      We believe that our acquisition strategy, properly implemented, affords a number of benefits, including:

	•	greater revenue and broadcast cash flow diversity;
	•	improved broadcast cash flow margins through the consolidation of facilities and the elimination of redundant expenses;
	•	enhanced revenue by offering advertisers a broader range of advertising packages;
	•	improved negotiating leverage with various key vendors;
	•	enhanced appeal to top industry management talent; and
	•	increased overall scale, which should facilitate our capital raising activities.

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      We have developed a process for integrating newly acquired properties into our overall culture and operating philosophy, which involves the following key elements:

	•	assess format quality and effectiveness so that we can refine station formats in order to increase audience and revenue share;
	•	upgrade transmission, audio processing and studio facilities;
	•	expand and strengthen sales staff through active recruiting and in-depth training;
	•	convert acquired stations to our communications network and centralized networked accounting system; and
	•	establish revenue and expense budgets consistent with the programming and sales strategy and corresponding cost adjustments.

      From time to time, in compliance with applicable law, we enter into a time brokerage agreement (under which separately owned and licensed stations agree to function cooperatively in terms of programming, advertising, sales and other matters), or a similar arrangement, with a target property prior to final Federal Communication Commission (“FCC”) approval and the consummation of the acquisition, in order to gain a head start on the integration process.

Operating Strategy

      Our operating strategy focuses on maximizing our radio stations’ appeal to listeners and advertisers and, consequently, increasing our revenue and broadcast cash flow. To achieve these goals, we have implemented the following strategies:

      Ownership of Strong Radio Station Clusters. We seek to secure and maintain a leadership position in the markets we serve by owning multiple stations in those markets. By coordinating programming, promotional and sales strategies within each local station cluster, we attempt to capture a wider range of demographic listeners to appeal to advertisers. We believe that the diversification of our programming formats and inventory of available advertising time strengthens relationships with advertisers, increasing our ability to maximize the value of our inventory. We believe that operating multiple stations in a market enhances our ability to market the advantages of advertising on radio versus other media, such as newspapers and television.

      We believe that our ability to utilize the existing programming and sales resources of our radio station clusters enhances the growth potential of both new and underperforming stations while reducing the risks associated with the implementation of station performance improvements, such as new format launches. We believe that operating leading station clusters allows us to attract and retain talented local personnel, who are essential to our operating success. Furthermore, we seek to achieve cost savings within a market through the consolidation of facilities, sales and administrative personnel, management and operating resources, such as on-air talent, programming and music research, and the reduction of other redundant expenses.

      Aggressive Sales and Marketing. We seek to maximize our share of local advertising revenue in each of our markets through aggressive sales and marketing initiatives. We provide extensive training through in-house sales and time management programs and independent consultants who hold frequent seminars and are available for consultation with our sales personnel. We emphasize regular, informal exchanges of ideas among our management and sales personnel across our various markets. We seek to maximize our revenue by utilizing sophisticated inventory management techniques to provide our sales personnel with frequent price adjustments based on regional and local market conditions. We further strengthen our relationship with some advertisers by offering the ability to create customer traffic through an on-site event staged at, and broadcast from, the advertiser’s business location. We believe that, prior to their acquisition, many of our newly acquired stations had underperformed in sales, due primarily to undersized sales staffs. Accordingly, we have significantly expanded the sales forces of many of our acquired stations.

      Targeted Programming and Promotion. To maintain or improve our position in each market, we combine extensive market research with an assessment of our competitors’ vulnerabilities in order to identify

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	•	creating distinct, highly visible profiles for our on-air personalities, particularly those broadcasting during morning drive time, which traditionally airs between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.;
	•	formulating recognizable brand names for select stations; and
	•	actively participating in community events and charities.

      Decentralized Operations. We believe that radio is primarily a local business and that much of our success will be the result of the efforts of regional and local management and staff. Accordingly, we decentralize much of our operations at these levels. Each of our station clusters is managed by a team of experienced broadcasters who understand the musical tastes, demographics and competitive opportunities of their particular market. Local managers are responsible for preparing annual operating budgets and a portion of their compensation is linked to meeting or surpassing their operating targets. Corporate management approves each station cluster’s annual operating budget and imposes strict financial reporting requirements to track station performance. Corporate management is responsible for long range planning, establishing corporate policies and serving as a resource to local management.

Station Portfolio

      When our pending acquisition transactions are completed, we will own 56 FM and 20 AM radio stations in 16 mid-sized and small markets. The following table sets forth information about the stations that we own and expect to own after giving effect to our pending transactions.

      As you review the information in the table below, you should note the following:

	•	The abbreviation “MSA” in the table means the market’s rank among the largest metropolitan statistical areas in the United States.
	•	The symbol “*” indicates a station that is the subject of one of our pending acquisitions, and the symbol “#” indicates a station that we have entered into an agreement to sell. The completion of each pending acquisition or disposition is subject to certain conditions, including governmental approvals. There can be no assurance that these conditions will be satisfied in any particular case.
	•	In the Primary Demographic Target column, the letter “A” designates adults, the letter “W” designates women and the letter “M” designates men. The numbers following each letter designate the range of ages included within the demographic group.
	•	Station Cluster Rank by Market Revenue Share in the table is the ranking, by radio cluster market revenue, of each of our radio clusters in its market among all other radio clusters in that market.
	•	We obtained all metropolitan statistical area rank information, market revenue information and station cluster market rank information for all of our markets from Investing in Radio 2002 Market Report, published by BIA Publications, Inc.
	•	We obtained all audience share information from the Fall 2002 Radio Market Report published by The Arbitron Company. We derived station cluster audience share based on persons ages 12 and over, listening Monday through Sunday, 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight.
	•	N/A indicates the market has no MSA rank and is not rated by Arbitron.

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Advertising Sales

      Virtually all of our revenue is generated from the sale of local, regional and national advertising for broadcast on our radio stations. In 2002, approximately 84% of our net broadcast revenue was generated from the sale of local and regional advertising. Additional broadcast revenue is generated from the sale of national advertising, network compensation payments and other miscellaneous transactions. The major categories of our advertisers include telephone companies, retail merchants, restaurants, fast food chains, automotive companies and grocery stores.

      Each station’s local sales staff solicits advertising either directly from the local advertiser or indirectly through an advertising agency. We pay a higher commission rate to our sales staff for direct advertising sales. Through direct advertiser relationships, we can better understand the advertiser’s business needs and more effectively design advertising campaigns to sell the advertiser’s products. We employ personnel in each of our markets to produce commercials for the advertiser. In-house production combined with effectively designed advertising establishes a stronger relationship between the advertiser and the station cluster. National sales are made by a firm specializing in radio advertising sales on the national level in exchange for a commission based on net revenue. Regional sales, which we define as sales in regions surrounding our markets to companies that advertise in our markets, are generally made by our local sales staff.

      Depending on the programming format of a particular station, we estimate the optimum number of advertising spots available. The number of advertisements that can be broadcast without jeopardizing listening levels is limited in part by the format of a particular station and by the volume of advertisements being run on competing stations in the local market. Our stations strive to maximize revenue by managing advertising inventory. Our stations adjust pricing based on local market conditions and the ability to provide advertisers with an effective means of reaching a targeted demographic group. Each of our stations has a general target level of on-air inventory. This target level of inventory may be different at different times of the day but tends to remain stable over time. Much of our selling activity is based on demand for our radio stations’ on-air inventory and, in general, we respond to this demand by varying prices rather than our target inventory level

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      A station’s listenership is reflected in ratings surveys that estimate the number of listeners tuned to the station and the time they spend listening. Each station’s ratings are used by its advertisers and advertising representatives to consider advertising with the station and are used by us to chart audience levels, set advertising rates and adjust programming. The radio broadcast industry’s principal ratings service is The Arbitron Company, which publishes periodic ratings surveys for significant domestic radio markets. These surveys are our primary source of audience ratings data.

      We believe that radio is one of the most efficient and cost-effective means for advertisers to reach specific demographic groups. Advertising rates charged by radio stations are based primarily on the following:

	•	the supply of, and demand for, radio advertising time;
	•	a station’s share of audiences in the demographic groups targeted by advertisers, as measured by ratings surveys estimating the number of listeners tuned to the station at various times; and
	•	the number of stations in the market competing for the same demographic groups.

      Rates are generally highest during morning and afternoon commuting hours.

Competition

      The radio broadcasting industry is highly competitive. The success of each station depends largely upon audience ratings and its share of the overall advertising revenue within its market. Stations compete for listeners and advertising revenue directly with other radio stations within their respective markets. Radio stations compete for listeners primarily on the basis of program content that appeals to a particular demographic group. Building a strong listener base consisting of a specific demographic group in a market enables an operator to attract advertisers seeking to reach those listeners. Companies that operate radio stations must be alert to the possibility of another station changing format to compete directly for listeners and advertisers. A station’s decision to convert to a format similar to that of another radio station in the same geographic area may result in lower ratings and advertising revenue, increased promotion and other expenses and, consequently, lower broadcast cash flow.

      Factors that are material to a radio station’s competitive position include management experience, the station’s local audience rank in its market, transmitter power, assigned frequency, audience characteristics, local program acceptance and the number and characteristics of other radio stations in the market area. Management believes that radio stations that elect to take advantage of joint arrangements such as local marketing agreements or joint sales agreements may in certain circumstances have lower operating costs and may be able to offer advertisers more attractive rates and services.

      Although the radio broadcasting industry is highly competitive, some barriers to entry exist. The operation of a radio broadcast station requires a license from the FCC, and the number of radio stations that can operate in a given market is limited by the availability of FM and AM radio frequencies allotted by the FCC to communities in that market, as well as by the FCC’s rules and policies regulating the number of stations that may be owned or controlled by a single entity. A summary of certain of those rules and policies can be found under the heading Federal Regulation of Radio Broadcasting below.

      Our stations compete for advertising revenue with other stations and with other media, including newspapers, broadcast television, cable television, magazines, direct mail, coupons and outdoor advertising. In addition, the radio broadcasting industry is subject to competition from new media technologies that are being developed or introduced, such as the delivery of audio programming by cable or direct broadcast satellite television systems, by satellite-delivered digital audio radio service and by in-band digital audio broadcasting. Two providers of satellite-delivered digital audio broadcasting have commenced service and state that they intend to deliver by satellite to nationwide and regional audiences, multi-channel, multi-format, digital radio services with sound quality equivalent to compact discs. Furthermore, terrestrial in-band digital audio broadcasting may deliver multi-channel, multi-format programming in the same bands now used by AM and

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      We cannot predict what additional new services or other regulatory matters might be considered in the future by the FCC, nor assess in advance what impact those proposals or changes might have on our business. The radio broadcasting industry historically has grown despite the introduction of new technologies for the delivery of entertainment and information. A growing population and greater availability of radios, particularly car and portable radios, have contributed to this growth. There can be no assurances, however, that this historical growth will continue.

Employees

      At March 14, 2003, we employed approximately 890 persons. Ten of our employees in Watertown, New York are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. None of our other employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements. We consider our relations with our employees generally to be good.

Federal Regulation of Radio Broadcasting

      Introduction. Our ownership, operation, purchase and sale of radio stations is regulated by the FCC, which acts under authority derived from the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Among other things, the FCC:

	•	assigns frequency bands for broadcasting;
	•	issues, renews, revokes and modifies station licenses, and determines the location, power and other technical parameters of those licenses;
	•	determines whether to approve changes in ownership or control of station licenses;
	•	regulates equipment used by stations; and
	•	adopts and implements regulations and policies that directly or indirectly affect the ownership, operation and employment practices of stations.

      The following is a brief summary of certain provisions of the Communications Act and of specific FCC regulations and policies. Failure to observe these or other rules and policies can result in the imposition of various sanctions, including fines, the grant of abbreviated license renewal terms or, for particularly egregious violations, the denial of a license renewal application, the revocation of a license or the denial of FCC consent to acquire additional radio stations.

      License Grant and Renewal. Radio stations operate under renewable broadcasting licenses that are ordinarily granted by the FCC for maximum terms of eight years. Licenses are renewed through an application to the FCC. Petitions to deny license renewals can be filed by interested parties, including members of the public. These petitions may raise various issues before the FCC. The FCC is required to hold hearings on renewal applications if the FCC is unable to determine that renewal of a license would serve the public interest, convenience and necessity, or if a petition to deny raises a substantial and material question of fact as to whether the grant of the renewal application would be inconsistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity. If, as a result of an evidentiary hearing, the FCC determines that the licensee has failed to meet certain requirements and that no mitigating factors justify the imposition of a lesser sanction, then the FCC may deny a license renewal application. Historically, FCC licenses have generally been renewed. We are not currently aware of any facts that would prevent the timely renewal of our licenses to operate our radio stations, although we cannot assure you that all of our licenses will be renewed.

      The FCC classifies each AM and FM station. An AM station operates on either a clear channel, regional channel or local channel. A clear channel is one on which AM stations are assigned to serve wide areas. Clear channel AM stations are classified as either: Class A stations, which operate on an unlimited time basis and are designed to render primary and secondary service over an extended area; Class B stations, which operate

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      The minimum and maximum facilities requirements for an FM station are determined by its class. FM class designations depend upon the geographic zone in which the transmitter of the FM station is located. In general, commercial FM stations are classified as follows, in order of increasing power and antenna height: Class A, B1, C3, B, C2, C1, C0 and C. The FCC recently adopted a rule that subjects Class C FM stations to involuntary downgrades to Class C0 if they do not meet certain antenna height specifications.

      The following table sets forth the market, call letters, FCC license classification, antenna height above average terrain (HAAT), power and frequency of each of the stations that are owned and operated by us or that are the subject of a pending acquisition or subsequent sale, and the date on which each station’s FCC license expires.