University of Evansville Agrees to Sell WUEV-FM to WAY-FM

https://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=b15856

Currently the deal is still pending FCC approval.

After an almost two-year review, the University of Evansville has announced the sale of its radio broadcast outlet 6.1kW WEUV-FM (91.5) to Christian radio broadcaster WAY Media (WAY-FM). WUEV will remain operational during the transition period, at which time WAY-FM will take over the frequency. The deal has been submitted to FCC for approval and is likely to take at least three months for to complete process.

"This decision did not come lightly," said Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Shane Davidson. "Ultimately, this was a strategic decision with the long-term interest of our students as our most important consideration. We evaluate expansion and constriction of programs annually to meet the marketplace of tomorrow."

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Whenever a college says the decision was made with the "long term interest of our students," you need to know that no one asked the students. They are making the decision with the long term interest of the college. So turning over this asset to another version of EMF was done to save the college money that it will spend in other ways. But don't think for a moment that the students want this, or that this is an example of young people rejecting FM radio. It isn't. It's an example of adults taking something away from students, and making that decision for them.

Now RadioInk reports that students and alumni are trying to stop the sale.

https://radioink.com/2019/06/07/students-trying-to-stop-station-sale/

Unfortunately they're using an online petition. Those things are useless in challenging radio sales.

They'd be more successful if they organized a group to make a counter-offer.

Bottom line: The school is selling the station. You can't force them to keep it. But if you make them a better offer, they'd have to consider it.

The petition on Change.org is also encouraging signatories to write to the FCC asking the Commission to deny the sale. Petition makers say: "FCC holds non-profit stations to a high standard, so your letter can help stop the sale."

I really do enjoy some of the sample reasons they suggest for inclusion in letters to the Commission. For example:
"UE Students are being robbed of free press and one of the only media outlets they have. "
I didn't realize the first amendment required private institutions to maintain publications for their students/employees to use as a soap box.

"WAY FM (the purchaser of WUEV) is already on the air in the Tri-State market on 91.9 FM, so they don't need 91.5 FM WUEV."
WAY-FM owns a translator, which they feed from a leased HD2 channel. The savings from no longer having to lease that HD channel will probably pay for the new license pretty quickly.

PTBoardOp94 said:

The petition on Change.org is also encouraging signatories to write to the FCC asking the Commission to deny the sale. Petition makers say: "FCC holds non-profit stations to a high standard, so your letter can help stop the sale."

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What they don't understand is that while they can stop a sale, they can't use the FCC to force a college to retain a license it wants to sell.

As everyone expected, the FCC has rejected the complaints against this sale.

The FCC's order is dated 10/7. Therefore the sale should be consummated this week or early next week to satisfy the 10-working days requirement of the purchase agreement.

The University hadn't supported the station in years so it was outsourced to those not knowing much about radio. WUEV was considered part of the marketing department and "call to action" issues happened. It was proud of it's Jazz Format but the processing was set to smash mode. Even the effort to "Save" the station could fill small diner. It was a 68 year effort. The next issue is what to do about the antenna. It is mounted atop a UE building but moving might mean a reduction of ERP.

WUEV signed off November 25th 2019 at 11pm CST.