STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania — WHYY has completed its $1 acquisition of WPSU’s public radio and television assets from Penn State, ending university ownership and preventing the closure Penn State had said would otherwise occur.
WPSU reported Wednesday that the transfer was finalized this week after the Federal Communications Commission approved the broadcast-license transfer on September 9. WPSU will keep its name and call letters, and audiences will continue to receive Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio programming alongside local television, radio and digital content.
The combined operation serves more than 1.5 million people across central and northern Pennsylvania. WHYY President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Marrazzo said any planned changes would be aimed at increasing local news, radio programming and community events. That is a stated goal; staffing levels, newsroom structure, budgets and the scale of future local production have not been detailed.
The closing follows about two years of negotiations and a period in which Penn State warned WPSU could shut down because the university could no longer subsidize the operation, particularly after the loss of federal public-media funding.
An earlier WPSU report said WHYY expected about 20 WPSU employees to remain after closing and that Penn State had notified 31 full-time employees of layoffs effective September 30. The final announcement did not provide an updated staff count.
Sources: WPSU’s September 30 closing report; WPSU’s report on Federal Communications Commission approval and staffing.