After agreeing last summer to sell Public News/Talk 920 WBAA West Lafayette/105.9 W290CM Lafayette and Classical 101.3 WBAA-FM West Lafayette to Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media, Purdue University has announced the organizations have finalized the transfer agreement and filed it with the FCC.

MIPM, which owns Public News/Talk 90.1 WFYI-FM Indianapolis, will give Purdue $700,000 worth of underwriting announcements over ten years for the licenses and $300,000 worth of paid student internships to Purdue students for the licenses and studio/transmitter equipment of the stations. Purdue will invest $250,000 in each of the first two years to offset initial operating costs. The university will retain ownership and maintenance of the station’s towers and studio facilities with MIPM paying a “nominal license fee”.

Four current WBAA/WBAA-FM employees will join MIPM after closing. The deal will also see the stations integrate their membership and underwriting platforms.

Purdue University and Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media have signed the asset purchase agreement that moves forward the plan to transition WBAA radio AM and FM from Purdue to MIPM.

MIPM currently operates WFYI public broadcasting in central Indiana and has jointly filed paperwork for the license transfer with the Federal Communications Commission, which typically takes 30-60 days to respond. The organizations expect the closing date for the license transfer to occur in late spring.

Purdue announced on July 1 the intent to partner with WFYI/MIPM to ensure the future of WBAA radio, continuing the WBAA mission of local news, increased student internship opportunities and enhanced public service offerings.

As a condition of the transfer, WBAA will maintain its call letters, its strong heritage and its physical presence in Greater Lafayette. Local news and reporting, NPR and global news, and classical music — mainstays of WBAA’s current lineup – will continue to be aired on WBAA-AM and WBAA-FM and its digital frequencies.

“We are pleased to reach this milestone as we work to ensure a bright future for WBAA radio, its listeners and our students,” said R. Ethan Braden, Purdue senior vice president for marketing and communications. “Many thanks go to all those who have worked through important details over these past months. We are excited about the preservation of public radio from Purdue and the enhancements that will come through this partnership with MIPM and WFYI.”

Greg Petrowich, president and CEO of WFYI/MIPM, said, “Our full team is excited to serve the Greater Lafayette community, carry on the meaningful legacy of WBAA, and discover ways to deepen services to both this new part of our listenership and our longtime audience members.”

Announced Wednesday (Feb. 9), the APA (asset purchase agreement) calls for:

• WFYI/MIPM to assume operations and management of WBAA radio AM and FM as of the closing date of the purchase, to be determined following FCC approval.
• WFYI/MIPM to provide to Purdue University underwriting credit of $700,000 for announcements on WFYI’s network of stations over a 10-year period.
• WFYI/MIPM to provide no less than $300,000 worth of paid student internships at the combined stations, to include expanded learning and development opportunities in positions spanning broadcasting, digital media, sales and marketing and more.
• WFYI/MIPM to gain ownership of equipment needed to operate the radio station at the current studio in Elliott Hall of Music on Purdue’s campus and at transmitter sites in Tippecanoe County owned by Purdue and Purdue Research Foundation.
• Purdue to provide an investment to WFYI/MIPM of $250,000 per year for the first two years of the agreement to offset some initial operating costs.
• Purdue to retain ownership and maintenance of the physical structures, including radio towers for both AM and FM transmission located on Purdue and Purdue Research Foundation land, and studio space in Elliott Hall of Music, and for which WFYI/MIPM will pay a nominal annual license fee.

Other aspects of the transfer are:

• Four current employees of WBAA radio AM and FM will transition to full-time employment with WFYI/MIPM.
• Donors who retain WBAA membership and who donate at least $60 annually will receive a complimentary WFYI Passport membership (including access to a robust video streaming library of PBS and local programs) as part of the transition, an added membership perk for WFYI members that is not currently available for WBAA members.
• Current WBAA program and underwriting partners will gain access to a broader listenership via shared programming that will also air on WFYI stations.

Original Report 7/1/2021: Purdue University has announced it will sell Public News/Talk 920 WBAA West Lafayette/105.9 W290CM Lafayette and Classical 101.3 WBAA-FM West Lafayette to Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media.

Terms of the deal were not yet disclosed and is pending approval by the university’s Board of Trustees at their July 7 meeting. The stations will retain their current programming, although some consolidation will take place between WBAA and the buyer’s 90.1 WFYI-FM Indianapolis. The groups expect the deal to close around October 1.

MIPM states is intends to maintain some WBAA staff in Lafayette.

Purdue University announced Thursday (July 1) that it has signed a letter of intent to enter an agreement for WBAA radio AM and FM to be operated by Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media (MIPM), which currently operates WFYI public broadcasting in central Indiana, with the goal of enhancing the station’s public service mission and offerings while preserving WBAA’s strong local heritage.

“Like we’ve seen done at many other higher education institutions, Purdue University has been looking for a public radio partner to lead WBAA toward its next 100 years in Greater Lafayette,” said R. Ethan Braden, Purdue senior vice president for marketing and communications. “WFYI is a strong public broadcasting entity, well-known and respected throughout Indiana, and we believe this agreement represents enhanced opportunities for our students, it preserves the experience that listeners enjoy today, and it extends WBAA’s reach and public service offerings.”

Pending approval by Purdue’s Board of Trustees, which will address the matter at its July 7 meeting, and approval of the license transfer by the Federal Communications Commission, MIPM is expected to assume operations of WBAA on or around Oct. 1.

Through the proposed agreement, WBAA will maintain its call letters, its strong heritage and its physical presence in Greater Lafayette. Local news and reporting, NPR and global news, and classical music — mainstays of WBAA’s current lineup — will continue to be aired on WBAA-AM and WBAA-FM and its digital frequencies.

Details are still to be determined, but enhancements are expected to include:

• Purdue students in the Brian Lamb School of Communication, WBAA’s internship partner, will have access to expanded learning and development opportunities both locally with WBAA and through the larger MIPM and WFYI networks, in positions spanning broadcasting, digital media, sales and marketing, and more.
• WBAA members who donate at least $60 annually would receive a complimentary WFYI Passport membership (including access to a robust video streaming library of PBS and local programs) as part of the transition, an added membership perk for WFYI members that is not currently available for WBAA members.
• Program and underwriting partners will gain access to a broader listenership via shared programming that will also air on WFYI stations.

“We are so pleased to work with Purdue University — a world-class research institution — on preserving its public service mission through WBAA,” said Greg Petrowich, president and CEO of Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media. “Through this agreement, we will strengthen and build on WBAA’s commitment to listeners and the communities served by WFYI and WBAA.”

WBAA-AM received its broadcast license on April 4, 1922. It is Indiana’s longest continuously operating radio station, one of several AM stations signed on by land-grant schools in the early days of radio. WBAA-FM began broadcasting in 1993. WFYI recently celebrated its 50th anniversary of operations.

This transition is subject to approval by the FCC, expected in September.

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