Why university stations need to prove their institutional value — before a crisis hits

For leaders of university-licensed public media stations, a familiar refrain often surfaces when questions about institutional alignment arise: “We’ve never had a problem with our university. Why worry now?”

It’s an understandable sentiment — but it is precisely this mindset that can leave stations unprepared in a rapidly changing environment.

A shifting landscape

Historically, a university-licensed station’s role was understood as aligned with the institution’s public service mission — an extension of its educational, civic and cultural commitments. For decades, as long as station leaders could demonstrate strong audience engagement and reliable fundraising revenue, universities generally viewed their stations as stable and self-sustaining. That alignment often felt sufficient, reinforcing confidence that the station’s work was valued and secure.

But the landscape has changed.

Universities today face unprecedented financial pressures, declining enrollments and increased emphasis on measurable outcomes such as graduation rates, retention and revenue generation. As a result, leadership may now ask stations to demonstrate how they contribute directly to these core institutional priorities — priorities that were not traditionally central to a station’s mission.

For many stations, this shift is disorienting. Decades of stable alignment with public service values and solid operational performance may no longer be enough. Without preparation, stations can struggle to articulate their value in terms that university leaders now prioritize, leaving them vulnerable to budget cuts, operational constraints or, in the worst case, conversations about selling the broadcast license.

When the license becomes a financial option

For university-licensed stations, the broadcast license is not simply symbolic — it is often an institution’s most valuable and most vulnerable asset. When a station’s value is not clearly understood, leadership may begin to view the license not as a public trust, but as a financial option: a resource that could be monetized to address budget shortfalls or fund other priorities.

Recent examples illustrate this reality:

• Eastern Washington University’s KEWU-FM: After nearly 75 years on air, the university decided to sell the broadcast license, ending decades of student and community programming.
• Penn State’s WPSU: Operating assets, including broadcast outlets, are being sold to WHYY to offset financial pressures, demonstrating how a license can become a monetized asset.
• Cleveland State University’s WCSB: Student and community programming was displaced under an agreement with a larger public media partner, showing how structural changes can disrupt local service.
• University of Missouri–St. Louis / KWMU (St. Louis Public Radio) and University of Missouri–Kansas City / KCUR: In 2025, the University of Missouri System approved plans for St. Louis Public Radio and KCUR/Classical KC to transition to independent nonprofit governance. Although the universities will retain the broadcast licenses during multiyear transitions, governance and operational control will shift to community-based boards — reinforcing that even high-performing stations are not insulated from structural change when university priorities evolve.

These are not isolated cases. In each instance, community voices, local journalism, student engagement and access to arts and cultural programming were directly affected — and the broadcast license became central to financial or operational decision-making. When a station is sold or its mission fundamentally altered, communities lose more than a signal. They lose a trusted source of news, education and cultural connection — resources that are not easily replaced.

What’s at stake

A license sale or major operational change is not merely a financial or administrative decision. The consequences are permanent:

• Communities lose trusted local journalism, coverage of regional issues, and civic infrastructure that supports informed participation and public dialogue.
• Students, faculty and local voices lose a platform for education, research and creative expression.
• Universities lose a visible, values-driven extension of their public mission, weakening civic presence and credibility.

Once a license is sold or transferred, these losses cannot be undone.

This is the time to act

Even if your station has never faced challenges from university leadership, the current moment demands proactive action. This is the time to:

• Articulate institutional value — Clearly map how your station supports public service, education, student engagement, research and community partnerships.
• Connect to university priorities — Demonstrate alignment with measurable outcomes such as enrollment, retention, alumni engagement and institutional reputation.
• Document community impact — Highlight local reporting, cultural programming, civic engagement and educational initiatives.
• Engage leadership proactively — Meet regularly with decision-makers and invite them to experience your work firsthand.
• Prepare a clear license-risk narrative — Be ready to explain what would be lost if the station were sold and why that loss matters to the university.
• Align internal messaging — Ensure staff and stakeholders can clearly communicate the station’s mission, achievements and institutional relevance.
• Collect data and stories — Pair quantitative metrics with qualitative examples to illustrate value and impact.
• Review and refresh regularly — Do not rely on historical goodwill; adapt messaging as priorities and pressures evolve.

Stability is not protection

The stations most vulnerable to a license sale or major operational-change discussions are often not those in conflict with their universities but those that have relied on historical goodwill rather than a current, shared understanding of value. Leadership changes, boards rotate, financial pressures intensify and new presidents and provosts ask new questions. When that moment arrives, stations that cannot clearly articulate what the university and community would lose may find themselves reacting instead of leading.

As station leaders, this is something you can do — and should do. The time to make the case for why the university needs its station is now, before anyone asks what the university might gain by selling it.

Kerry Swanson is Chief Operating Officer of KUOW in Seattle. With a career spanning over 40 years in media, Kerry has held leadership roles at Northwest Public Broadcasting in Pullman, Wash.; WABE in Atlanta; and KNKX (formerly KPLU) in Seattle/Tacoma. He has served two terms on the NPR Board of Directors, is president of the University Station Alliance Board, and has held leadership positions with Western States Public Radio and the Northwest News Network. Kerry was also a co-founder of the Integrated Media Association.