KCPT TO ACQUIRE UCM's PUBLIC RADIO STATION | Bottom Line ...

KCPT-TV, Kansas City?s public television station, has announced today that it will?transfer ownership of the University of Central Missouri?s public radio station ?The Bridge? (KTBG-FM 90.9) to KCPT (news release below), pending approval by the Federal Communications Commission.

KTBG is an all-music station and will apparently not compete directly with long-time KC public radio station KCUR 89.3 FM.

The letter of intent permitting the acquisition of UCM?s campus-based radio station was signed April 18 by the UCM Board of Governors.

?This is a decision that was made after carefully considering our overall mission and the university?s recent academic and administrative reviews,? said UCM President Charles Ambrose. ?The university is very pleased with the overall agreement with Kansas City Public Television. In conjunction with transferring ownership of KTBG, we are also establishing an exciting, multi-dimensional relationship with KCPT and the Kansas City community, which will greatly benefit both parties.?

?This is an incredible opportunity for KCPT to extend its reach into the community and develop new relationships with our public media partners in Warrensburg,? said CEO and President of KCPT, Kliff Kuehl.

?KTBG has developed a strong following of listeners with an exceptional programming line-up of music and local services. We?re thrilled to be able to share this community asset with an even greater audience in the Kansas City region.?

KCPT issued a Q & A regarding the transfer:

1. Why is KCPT buying the 90.9 FM frequency?
Pending Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval, KCPT is purchasing the 90.9 FM frequency from the University of Central Missouri (UCM) with the goal of enhancing KCPT?s public service, audience and community engagement.
KTBG 90.9 FM will provide an all-music service for the Kansas City region that is focused on building the local music scene, bringing in new artists, profiling local musicians and bands, and featuring local music venues that make up the fabric of the Kansas City music experience.
Ultimately, we are providing an additional platform for engaging with the community. By investing in a second public media asset, KCPT can extend its mission of providing local community building content to the Kansas City region.

2. When does the new ownership become effective?
The Letter of Intent to transfer ownership of KTBG 90.9 The Bridge was signed by the UCM Board of Governors on April 18, 2013. Approval of the transfer is subject to approval of the FCC.

3. How will the new station be identified? Will it continue to use the KTBG call letters and operate on the 90.9 FM frequency?
KTBG currently operates on the 90.9 FM frequency as licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.Through its transaction with UCM, KCPT is purchasing the right to operate on this frequency. This must be approved, however, by the FCC. The call letters, KTBG, will continue to be used during the transition process and will be reconsidered following a branding study.

4. What will the broadcast area be for KTBG 90.9?
KCPT will be improving the signal strength of KTBG 90.9 following FCC approval. The upgraded station?s signal will increase to include not only the current coverage area, but also the greater Kansas City metro area.

5. How will this transaction affect the station?s music format?
The format will remain largely the same. KCPT will discontinue the news and talk content and UCM sports programming. KCPT will continue the station?s current ?AAA? (adult album alternative) music format and increase local segments covering non-profits, arts and culture events, and other stories of interest to the KTBG listeners.

6. How will it impact staff/students currently working at KTBG 90.9?
KCPT will be responsible for staff decisions. The agreement with UCM also establishes a new focus on collaborative activities with the two institutions. As an example of the collaboration, KCPT and UCM will offer a broad range of internships for UCM students that will give students firsthand learning experiences in many different areas of broadcast management and production.

7. How will KTBG supporters be notified of this change in ownership?
To help make the transfer a seamless process, on-air announcements regarding the transition will be made prior to the official change in ownership. Some targeted correspondence also may be utilized with specific stakeholders.Following the change of ownership, KCPT will also communicate with all KTBG supporters. Current KTBG members and sponsors will begin receiving KCPT?s monthly member guide, as well.

8. Where is KCPT securing the funds to acquire and upgrade KTBG 90.9 FM and what is the budget for the transaction?
KCPT is using a combination of a loan, new donor and philanthropic gifts, and unrestricted KCPT reserve funds to acquire and upgrade KTBG 90.9 FM. . The loan is from a New York City-based philanthropy called FJC, which manages over 1,000 donor advised funds and manages an Agency Loan Fund. The budget is $1.7 million, which includes purchasing KTBG 90.9 FM, upgrading the station?s signal and building new radio studios in KCPT?s building.

9. Are any taxpayer funds being used for this purchase?
No. As stated, KCPT is funding the purchase of 90.9 FM through loans and donor gifts.

10. Will KCPT need to hire more people?
While we?re still working out the details, we anticipate we will need to make a few hires. Check our employment page on kcpt.org over the next six months for job postings.

11. What other markets have ?AAA? public radio stations?
Examples of successful ?AAA? public radio stations include The Current in St. Paul, Minnesota, KUTX in Austin,Texas and XPN in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

12. In light of rapid changes in content delivery, how viable is radio in the future?
Radio is one of the most widely used media platforms in the U.S. Radio is free, universally available, easy-to-access and operate, and established as a trusted public media source for information, entertainment and companionship. According to the radio ratings company, Arbitron, ?Radio consistently reaches 92 to 96 percent of virtually every demographic group.? With this market penetration the prospects for radio remain strong.

In addition to adding radio to KCPT?s media distribution platforms, KCPT is expanding its efforts to share content via new digital strategies including web, social media and mobile.

UCM-KTBG Release

Source: http://www.bottomlinecom.com/kcpt-to-acquire-ucms-public-radio-station/

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