One month after Penn State University’s Board of Trustees rejected a proposal to subsidize a transfer of its broadcast licenses to WHYY Philadelphia, its has unanimously approved a new deal to transfer Public News/Talk/Classical 91.5 WPSU-FM and PBS affiliate WPSU-TV State College PA without the subsidies.

The approval authorizes Penn State to egotiate and execute definitive agreements to complete the transaction with WHYY pending its board of directors approval. Instead of having Penn State pay a $17 million subsidy to WHYY to operate the stations, WHYY instead will have a 30-day exclusivity period after the vote to seek financing commitments of at least $8.36 million.

Penn State SVP/Finance and Business/Treasurer Sara Thorndike said, “We know what WPSU means to its listeners and viewers and the vital role public radio and television plays in Central Pennsylvania. So, we continued to explore opportunities with WHYY with the goal of keeping WPSU operational while reducing the University’s financial commitment to the station. At times financial negotiations can necessitate multiple rounds of negotiation. I’m thrilled we were able to bring this agreement to this promising point.”

She continued, “WHYY has been a thoughtful partner. Their leadership has agreed to continue to operate WPSU for at least three years following the sale closing, which is expected to occur by June 30, 2026. All current WPSU employees will have an opportunity to interview for potential roles at the new station. Further, we are very pleased the stations will continue to offer our Bellisario College of Communications students real-world experiences.”

Penn State Outreach Vice President Lary Terry added, “We know that WPSU is highly valued by communities throughout Central Pennsylvania, and we have worked diligently to find the best path forward for the station, our people who work there, and certainly all of our WPSU viewers and listeners. We are grateful that WHYY, one of the country’s leading public media organizations, recognizes the importance of maintaining access to public media for the Central Pennsylvania region and is committed to the continuation of these services in our communities.”

WHYY President/CEO Bill Marrazzo commented, “Most importantly, we want to assure public media audiences in Central Pennsylvania that WPSU will continue to be here for you. Your stories, your communities, and your voices remain at the heart of this work. One of the foundational pillars of public media is the drive to ensure the sustainability of free and universal access to its programming and services for every American citizen. This is an investment in collaboration. WHYY and WPSU are joining forces to expand what is possible – strengthening local journalism, creating new educational opportunities, and developing innovative ways to deliver the content people value most.” ”

WPSU-FM also is heard on 90.1 WPSX Kane and five translators: 92.1 W221BD Dubois, 100.9 W265BB Bradford, 102.5 W273BE Huntingdon, 104.7 W284AK Clearfield, and 106.7 W294AE Altoona.

Original Report 9/11: Penn State University’s Board of Trustees Finance and Investment Committee voted today to wind down operations of Public News/Talk/Classical 91.5 WPSU-FM State College PA and PBS affiliate WPSU-TV by June 30, 2026 after rejecting a proposal to subsidize a transfer of the licenses to WHYY Philadelphia.

The WHYY proposal would have seen the University subsidize the transfer with $17 million over five years to give WHYY an opportunity to help WPSU reach a financial break-even point and continue broadcasting across Central Pennsylvania. The board committee determined it should not take on such a significant financial commitment due to other pressures facing higher education.

The University said that it implemented a budget model in 2024 focused on keeping tuition costs as low as possible for Pennsylvania families amid rising costs and has been xploring a number of alternative funding models for WPSU. The stations had depended on annual subsidies of at least $3.4 million from the University prior to the loss of federal funding.

Board Chair David Kleppinger said, “This was an incredibly difficult decision for trustees, as WPSU has long provided quality public broadcasting programming for communities throughout Central Pennsylvania. We have worked with the administration to find the best path forward for the station and our people who work there. But, given the significant headwinds facing higher education and public media, we could not support the proposed transaction. We know this is a deeply disappointing outcome and we are grateful to the dedicated WPSU employees whose work has enriched our lives and made our community stronger.”

The University’s press release said most WPSU staff would have likely been laid off from the University, with some being offered positions by WHYY.

WPSU-FM also is heard on 90.1 WPSX Kane and five translators: 92.1 W221BD Dubois, 100.9 W265BB Bradford, 102.5 W273BE Huntingdon, 104.7 W284AK Clearfield, and 106.7 W294AE Altoona.