The
University of San Francisco’s sale of KUSF radio to the nonprofit Classical
Public Radio Network (CPRN) was approved today by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC).
The sale,
which was initiated in January 2011, allows University of Southern
California-owned CPRN to broadcast classical music programming on the 90.3 FM frequency
at a time when many of the country’s classical radio stations have closed.
Revenue from the $3.75 million sale will go into the university’s
general fund.
In
finalizing the sale, USF and CPRN agreed to a voluntary contribution to the
U.S. Treasury as part of a consent decree. The FCC affirmed CPRN’s right to broadcast on 90.3 FM
while the sale was pending, but found that CPRN’s payments to USF (similar to
rent) during that time as part of the Public Service Operating Agreement unintentionally
violated an FCC rule.
“The sale provides the University of San Francisco with funds that will
directly benefit students and support our mission of offering an outstanding
education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition,” said Gary McDonald, associate vice
president for communications. “We are pleased that the FCC has completed
its review in a manner that allows the sale to close and for USF to focus on
its core mission of education and service going forward.”
