Washington State University plans to sell broadcast license for KWSU-TV

The university licensee of Northwest Public Broadcasting in Pullman, Wash., posted a public notice Monday seeking buyers for its KWSU-TV broadcast license and related assets.

Washington State University and the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication announced in October that it would shut down the public TV station Dec. 31 following the rescission of federal funding. NWPB previously operated KWSU-TV and now runs another TV station and a radio station. An undisclosed number of NWPB employees were laid off earlier this year.

The public notice said the university anticipates that the transfer will occur before the end of the year but that it could be completed next year. The deadline for interested parties to inquire is Aug. 31.

The FCC granted a WSU request July 13 to keep KWSU-TV silent “while the status of the station is being evaluated.” The authorization expires Jan. 1.

NWPB ended broadcasts on KWSU-TV as part of an effort to reduce its annual operating costs by $1.8 million by the end of last year. Bruce Pinkleton, dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, previously said that “the equipment and license do have value” and that the WSU Board of Regents “will vote to approve or disapprove of any decisions regarding the sales of anything related to the closure.”

KWSU-TV had been a PBS station since 1970 serving the Pullman and Spokane markets. Its coverage area overlapped with those of KSPS PBS in Spokane and Idaho Public Television. As a station under PBS’ Program Differentiation Plan, KWSU-TV had “smaller audiences and a limited opportunity to show top-tier public broadcasting programming,” Pinkleton said.

NWPB separately operates KTNW-TV in Richland, Wash. KWSU-TV viewers who were NWPB donors continue to have access to their PBS Passport membership benefit through KTNW.

The university has not disclosed any plans to sell NWPB’s radio operations.