Penn State University’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved the sale of university-owned public broadcaster WPSU’s operating assets to Philadelphia-based WHYY.
The vote Monday follows the board’s unanimous objection last month of a different proposal that would have transferred WPSU to the Philadelphia NPR and PBS affiliate. Members cited concern about the cost to the university without a guarantee that WHYY would continue to operate the stations or retain employees.
WPSU was set to be the first public media organization to wind down operations by June 2026 following cuts made by President Donald Trump’s administration to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Chairperson David Kleppinger said the board of trustees received over 1,300 public comments and emails regarding the future of WPSU before Monday’s vote.
“The overwhelming majority urged the university to reconsider the decision to wind down WPSU’s operations, or to move forward with a sale that would allow the station to continue under public broadcasting organizations,” he said.
Although he said there were a few who expressed differing views, the consistent theme across the comments was strong support for maintaining WPSU’s public media service.
“Commenters emphasize WPSU’s importance to Penn State’s land grant mission, its educational and cultural value to children and families, especially in the rural areas of Central Pennsylvania, and its role in providing experiential learning opportunities for our students,” Kleppinger added. “Many also noted the station’s history of trusted local journalism and community engagement, and urged the board to find a sustainable path forward that preserves those contributions.”
Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for finance and business/treasurer, said the university currently provides about $3.4 million annually to support WPSU and that the university recently lost $1.8 million in federal funding. In the proposed transaction approved Monday, the university will not have to pay a $17 million subsidy, which was included in the prior proposal. Instead, WHYY will first secure at least $8.36 million in outside financing.
The agreement allows Penn State to hear from others who might be interested in buying WPSU, but does not allow them to sign any other agreements while they are working towards a definitive agreement with WHYY. Thorndike said this also allows WHYY time to raise the funds needed to support WPSU.
“We can continue to use gifts that are needed in order for WPSU to operate over this next year, but we have agreed that we will not liquidate any of the endowments during that exclusivity period,” Thorndike said.
Addressing a major concern for the board in its decision to reject the earlier proposal, WHYY has agreed to interview current WPSU employees for positions under the new ownership.
“If there are employees who are qualified for jobs that WHYY have determined are needed, employees will be hired into those positions if they so choose to move to WHYY,” Thorndike said.
WHYY also assured the board that it will continue to operate WPSU for at least three years.
“This is in response to the board’s concern that if we sold all of the assets to WHYY for the dollar that they could monetize them,” Thorndike said. “That is not their intent, and they agree to keep WPSU open for three years, although they have indicated a desire to keep it going for much, much longer than that.”
WHYY can also not sell any non-core assets without the permission of Penn State.
“There may be a need to do that, as they’re continuing to fund WPSU, but they will do that in partnership with approval by the university,” Thorndike said.
Thorndike also noted that WPSU would still offer programs to students such as internships, work-study, and other supportive student curriculum. WHYY intends to lease the on-campus space where WPSU is currently located, close to the university’s College of Communications.
The agreement is dependent on approval by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and WHYY will pay filing fees associated with the request, Thorndike noted. Penn State has indicated it wants to close the deal no later than June 30, 2026.
In addition to PBS and NPR programming, WPSU provides local programming, news coverage, and community events in the region. WPSU-TV reaches 515,000 households in 24 counties of central Pennsylvania, and WPSU-FM serves more than 450,000 listeners in 13 counties in central and northern Pennsylvania.
Soucre: PA Capital-Star