WNKU Too Little Too Late?

WNKU is on the verge of being sold to the Bible Broadcasting Corporation. The station has been running deficits since 2012, and Northern Kentucky University, the license holder, has decided that can no longer carry the weight. According to a report from WCPO, Cincinnati, the station has run up a deficit of $2.6 million despite subsidies from the University of $1.9 million over the same period.

Not So Fast?

Louisville Public Media hopes Northern Kentucky University reconsiders sale of WNKU radio station

Louisville Public Media is interested in buying the station to preserve the format and the local flavor of the programming. The University is says LPM waited too long to make a bid. There's also a petition to save the station with about 8,000 signatures. To me, the response is not overwhelming.

WNKU's fiscal problems began about the time they expanded their signal reach in 2011 with the purchase of two stations, 105.9 WPFBAM/FM and 104.1 WPAY FM as part of a network of stations. The station took on considerable debt to increase its reach. The cost was estimated to be $6.75 million. The added debt load combined with slower than anticipated growth may have led to their financial woes. A move like that is not just about audience size, but also about developing a loyal following that translates into listener sensitive income. That did not happen.