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WUSF TV SOLD AT Auction, is WUSF Radio next?

hdradioeng said:
Early estimates were up to almost 400 million..............it sold for shy of 20 million..............how sad. Take that taxpayers!

from the horses mouth,
http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/wusf-tv-signal-sold-station-will-end-operations#stream/0
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If we are to believe WUSF.org aka "the horses mouth" ref to today's press release, this will not affect WUSF or WSMR radio and that could be so, a similiar situation in the Orlando TV market, was when their primary PBS outlet signed off the air about 3 years ago IIRC, but their NPR counterpart is still on the air. (90.7 - WMFE).
 
hdradioeng said:
I would be a little upset and ask for my money back as part.
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Funny...there's no money-back guarantee when you donate money. I donate to cancer research, yet people still die from cancer. You'd think I could get my money back, but no. In most big cities, there are local non-profit groups who either buy or absorb these stations from the colleges. The question I ask is why this didn't happen in Tampa. Shutting a station down says to me that it wasn't viable to begin with, and no one in the community wanted it.

We all know that colleges are getting out of the broadcasting business. It's not core to their mission any more.
 
In Orlando, WMFE-TV was the "primary" PBS affiliate with an FM counterpart. Instead of selling to a religious broadcaster as originally intended, the TV station was instead transferred to the University of Central Florida, who didn't have a TV operation at the time. If that wouldn't have happened, the Orlando market would have been left with a rimshot PBS station from the East coast. As far as the FM's are concerned, yes, both WMFE-FM at 90.7 and UCF's own 89.9 continue to both operate today. Overall, Tampa Bay is left with WEDU-TV which is probably delighted to see WUSF-TV sign off after all these years; and no, I don't think the operations at 89.7 are in any way in jeopardy.
 
They might have been able to switch to a high VHF channel, as four other stations in the market are on RF channels 7, 10, 12, and 13, and accept a lesser amount.
RF channel 9 in Gainesville is probably too close and RF channel 11 in Orlando is definitely too close, but the only RF channel 8 in Florida is an LP, way down in Key West.

The college could cut a deal to program a sub-channel on WEDU, or any other local TV station, and give it a virtual number of 16.1 with commission approval.
 
They're getting 18.7 million from the sale, yet I bet they will still ask for people to donate for the FM's. If that's the case they have some nerve!
 
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kc1ih said:
They're getting 18.7 million from the sale, yet I bet they will still ask for people to donate for the FM's. If that's the case they have some nerve!
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Maybe...no guarantee that the college will spend any of the 18 mil on the radio station. In fact, as this thread indicates, they might sell that next.
 
TheBigA said:
...the radio station...they might sell that next.
Click to expand...
And the trend lately is for a large Christian broadcast group to offer,
but we would hope that perhaps a WEDU would step in.
 
ai4i said:
perhaps a WEDU would step in.
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Based on what we see here, the University seems to be going after the biggest bucks, and not what's best for the community.

However, in most places, we've seen that a community licensee like WEDU can make great use of another signal, if the price is right. Put news on one signal, and arts (classical/jazz/folk) on the other.
 
I am confused.
The OTA TV spectrum is being carved up like a roast in favor of wireless communications, but why are they also abandoning the intellectual property as well?
Why not remain as a cable outlet on the same cable channels?
Nobody with cable would know the difference.
 
badjef said:
I am confused.
The OTA TV spectrum is being carved up like a roast in favor of wireless communications, but why are they also abandoning the intellectual property as well?
Click to expand...

They apparently just want to get out of the TV business completely.
 
I have heard the folks running WUSF Public Media never cared for TV, so sad since they do have a world class (or used to) production facility...............that could've been very lucrative
 
Here's another thing, if they are abandoning the terrestrial TV broadcast why build the new radio tower? I would have opted for the height advantage on the TV tower for the FM and saved on the power bill by lowering TPO.......not to mention how ever many millions not wasted on the shortest tower in Riverview LOL

In the words of Arsenio, things that make you go hmmmmmmm
 
That new FM tower is the biggest waste of OUR tax money in history. There was no need for that tower other than ego. They could have moved to the TV tower or the American Tower site for MUCH less money. You would not believe the money they are wasting on that FM. It deserves a Congressional Investigation.
 
hdradioeng said:
...why build the new radio tower?
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I have not kept up with this board and have not heard of this.
Where will their new stick be, how high, and would you post a link?
The station is currently 69KW/295m from near Boyette Rd.,
a few kilometers east of exit 250 off I-75.
 
They replaced the tower that was there with a new one. Same for same. The old tower was rotten from years of no maintenance. And its still the shortest of the bunch.......If I am going to waste the money at least add 500 feet lol
 
hdradioeng said:
If I am going to waste the money at least add 500 feet lol
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That would have jacked the cost up rediculously.
The only way to erect such a structure economically is to do it either as a cooperative or to secure long-term contracts from tennants in advance.
 
If USF does sell the radio stations (therefore, lying the community), it would leave Tampa Bay as the biggest market without an NPR station. That would be a bad move.

As for the subchannels, will they leave Tampa Bay, or will the more popular PBS station, WEDU add more subchannels or replace their useless 3.4 channel with PBS Kids?
 
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