Yesterday’s Open Source was the last from the webcentric pubradio talk show, which went “on a summer hiatus” and is disbanding its staff, wrote host Chris Lydon and producer Mary McGrath on the show’s blog. They hope to maintain the blog and to relaunch the show in the fall. Why shut down? They explained that “a brand-name media company that had asked to partner with us had changed its mind.” The show was running out of money despite a $250,000 grant from the MacArthur Foundation in March and recent listener donations. The Boston-based show’s distributor, PRI, and its home station, WGBH, dropped it in recent weeks, the Boston Phoenix reported.

Low stock prices for Sirius Satellite Radio indicate Wall Street is doubting the company will merge with its competitor, XM, Bloomberg News speculated.

KOCE will give religious broadcaster Daystar Television Network one of its DTV multicast channels in exchange for Daystar dropping its persistent litigation to gain control of the channel that the public TV station bought in 2003. KOCE and Daystar yesterday swore not to disclose the terms of their mediated settlement, but the Los Angeles Times cited a description from “a source familiar with the settlement.” [Attribution corrected.]

KOCE will remain a public TV station but is not disclosing so far the terms of its settlement with religious broadcaster Daystar Television, which contended that it was high bidder for the license sold to the KOCE Foundation in 2003. A station spokeswoman released this terse statement today: “KOCE-TV Foundation and Daystar Television are pleased that they have reached a settlement to the parties’ mutual satisfaction. This brings to conclusion all the outstanding litigation between the parties and results in a complete dismissal of all claims against the KOCE-TV Foundation and the Coast Community College District. KOCE-TV Foundation will continue to own and operate KOCE-TV as a PBS member station.

Attorneys for both sides met in court four weeks ago, the Daily Pilot reported.

PBS has issued an RFP for an Internet Protocol-based system to handle server-based program delivery via public TV’s new satellite system, Broadcasting & Cable reports. Enabling non-real time distribution represents the second phase of the $122 million Next Generation Interconnection System, which got its last bit of funding from Congress this year (Q-and-A with APTS President John Lawson). PBS hopes to deliver around 150 non-real time program hours and 50 real time hours by December 2008, but roughly 50-75 stations still lack the necessary hardware to use file-based delivery. RFP responses are due July 2.

Maine Public Broadcasting Network is dropping jazz host Robert Skoglund, a 28-year Friday night fixture, after a lengthy feud over the content of Skoglund’s folksy commentaries. Better known as the humble Farmer (the “h” signals his humility), Skoglund was officially fired after he refused to sign off on commentary guidelines that prohibit hosts from taking stances on controversial issues, among other no-nos. The move ended an eight-month spat that started in November when network execs pulled an episode of The humble Farmer, saying it was critical of an upcoming ballot initiative and they didn’t want to seem as if the station was weighing in on the issue.

Fiscally pinched Black Hawk College in Moline, Ill., is considering selling or leasing out public TV station WQPT, Quad-Cities Online reports. The college trustees will hear the proposal June 21.

The Washington Business Journal reports on NPR’s search for new headquarters

“It was really a matter of going out with something else in mind, something beyond the tasks required for a good radio piece,” says NPR’s Howard Berkes in a Poynter Online Q&A devoted to multimedia story-telling. Berkes’ recent feature on Arizona physician and aerial photographer Michael Collier, which was the most e-mailed story on NPR.org for 48 hours and remained on the top-10 list for a week, is the starting point for this reporting how-to.

Frances Koncilja, an attorney who resigned from Colorado Public Radio’s board last week, is challenging the lack of transparency in decision-making by CPR leaders. “They’re talking about reducing the size of the board and selling the AM stations,” Koncilja tells the alternative weekly Westword, “and I find that an irresponsible way to govern an organization, especially when none of this was discussed at the board meetings.” CPR broadcasts its news and information service on AM stations in three markets. Board Chair Barry Curtiss-Lusher tells Westword that Koncilja’s criticisms are based on “a significant misunderstanding” about CPR’s long-term plans for high-definition radio services.

NPR reporter Lynn Neary surveys PBS’s nostalgia-driven music specials for All Things Considered. Coming soon: The Clash.

SaveWCAL, a group of St. Olaf College alumni who opposed the 2004 sale of the classical music station to Minnesota Public Radio, are challenging the sale in court, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul City Pages. Attorney Michael McNabb argues that WCAL was a charitable trust created by its donors and held by the university, and St. Olaf needed a judge’s permission to liquidate it.

From 1,452, now there are 10. And they’re hot to talk. The online casting call created by Public Radio Exchange — part of CPB’s Public Radio Talent Quest — last week announced 10 finalists who advance to Round 2 of its nationwide competition to find new pubradio hosts. Each finalist gets $500, a blog and another chance to demonstrate what PRX calls “hostiness.” The competition at www.publicradioquest.com will intensify at each step in the contest ahead, although it was no breeze to survive the first round with more than 1,400 contestants. Since its start in April, the contest has become something of an obsession for many participants, keeping the site abuzz with interactivity, with some posting comments in haiku and limericks.

Public Radio Talent Quest announced 10 semi-finalists in its contest for new pubradio on-air talent. Contestants whose entries received the most online votes are compiled here and the judges’ favorites are here.