November  30,  2015         VIA  EMAIL  AND  OVERNIGHT  MAIL     Thomas  Krise   President,  Pacific  Lutheran  University   Hauge  Administration,  Room  116   12180  Park  Avenue  S.   Tacoma,  WA    98447     Pacific  Lutheran  University  Board  of  Regents   c/o  Office  of  the  President   Hauge  Administration,  Room  116   12180  Park  Avenue  S.   Tacoma,  WA    98447     RE:   Proposed  Sale  of  KPLU  to  the  University  of  Washington     Dear  President  Krise  and  PLU  Board  of  Regents:     On  behalf  of  the  Community  Advisory  Council  of  Pacific  Public  Media  (KPLU  88.5),  I  write   to   object   to   Pacific   Lutheran   University’s   plan   to   sell   KPLU   to   the   University   of   Washington   and  its  public  radio  licensee,  KUOW.    For  the  reasons  stated  below,  we  believe  this  decision   is  fundamentally  misguided.    We  urge  you  to  withdraw  from  further  negotiations  with  the   University  of  Washington  and  to  consider  other  options.     The   Council   exists   because   the   Corporation   for   Public   Broadcasting   requires   any   public   broadcast   station   to   which   CPB   distributes   funds   to   establish   and   maintain   an   advisory   board.     CPB   mandates,   as   do   the   Council’s   own   bylaws,   that   the   Council’s   role   be   strictly   advisory.     Our   advisory   capacity   should   not   be   interpreted,   however,   to   mean   that   the   Council   serves   no   substantive   purpose.     The   Council’s   bylaws   require   it   to   “represent   the   interests,   needs,   and   concerns   of   the   station’s   listening   public.”     CPB   directs   that   the   Council’s   purpose   “is   to   provide   a   vehicle   for   effective   community   input   to   the   station’s   governing   body   about   station   programming,   community   service   and   impact   on   the   community  from  the  station’s  major  policy  decisions.”     For  a  public  radio  station,  there  can  be  no  policy  decision  more  major  than  one  to  transfer   its  license  to  and  effectively  fold  its  operations  into  those  of  another  licensee.    As  such,  we   are   disappointed   that   the   University   did   not   see   fit   to   alert   the   Council   of   its   interest   in   selling   KPLU,   to   inform   it   prior   to   negotiations   with   the   University   of   Washington,   to   consult  it  during  negotiations  over  the  terms  of  a  sale,  or  to  advise  it  of  the  sale  before  the   proposed   transaction   was   announced   to   the   public.     These   failures   reveal   a   startling   disconnection   between   the   University   and   the   community   served   by   KPLU,   and   an   unfortunate   disregard   for   all   those   whose   support   has   sustained   the   station   for   49   years.     Thomas  Krise   Pacific  Lutheran  University  Board  of  Regents   Page  2       Regrettably,   the   Council’s   ability   to   exercise   its   right   to   offer   the   “effective   community   input”  required  by  CPB  comes  only  after  principal  terms  have  been  agreed  to  by  PLU  and   the  University  of  Washington  and  a   letter  of  intent  has  been  signed.    Despite  this  late  input,   we  hope  you  give  our  concerns  and  our  advice  the  consideration  they  deserve.     As  have  all  KPLU  listeners  and  supporters,  we  have  heard  the  University’s  assurances  that   the  proposed  sale  will  only  benefit  listeners  and  the  communities  served  by  both  KPLU  and   KUOW.     We   have   been   told   that   an   effective   merger   of   these   stations   will   strengthen   KUOW’s   all-­‐news   programming,   allow   for   24-­‐hour   jazz   service   at   88.5,   and   promote   “synergies”  that  will  allow  both  stations  to  operate  more  efficiently.         These   assurances   give   us   little   comfort.     First,   they   ignore   the   benefit   of   an   independent,   alternative  source  of  public  radio  news  and  public  affairs  reporting.    It  is  not  necessary  to   view  the  news  departments  of  KPLU  and  KUOW  as  competitors  to  realize  that  each  is  made   better  by  the  existence  of  the  other,  or  to  conclude  that  the  communities  they  serve  benefit   from  the  existence  of  both.    We  reject  the  analogy  the  University  attempts  to  draw  between   this   proposed   sale   and   the   City   of   Seattle’s   survival   of   the   demise   in   2009   of   its   second   independent   daily   newspaper,   particularly   because   the   University’s   suggestion   that   the   online  Seattle  P-­‐I  is  now  a  “vibrant”  media  resource  cannot  be  taken  seriously.     Second,  these  assurances  overlook  the  around-­‐the-­‐clock  jazz  service  already  available  via   KPLU’s   streaming   service,   Jazz   24.     Because   such   care   is   taken   in   curating   the   music   streamed  on  this  online  resource,  it  now  enjoys  a  local,  national,  and  international  weekly   audience  of  over  90,000.      Many  local  KPLU  listeners  have,  while  traveling  out  of  the  region   or   abroad,   experienced   the   delight   and   comfort   of   hearing   their   local   jazz   station   being   played   in   a   restaurant,   hotel   lobby,   or   cafe.     We   wonder   whether   the   University   fully   appreciates  the  positive  publicity  gained  through  this  national  and  international  exposure   or,  for  that  matter,  the  goodwill  generated  by  KPLU’s  local  efforts  to  promote  jazz  through   its  studio  sessions  and  its  support  of  local  artists  and  music  education.         Third,  these  assurances  reveal  a  failure  to  understand  that  many  KPLU  listeners  choose  this   station   because   they  appreciate   the   balance   of   news   and   music   KPLU   offers   and   the   quality   of  news,  public  affairs,  and  music  programming  that  a  mixed  format  helps  facilitate.    We  all   are  familiar  with  radio  stations  whose  single-­‐format  programming  ambitions  exceed  their   talent   and   resources,   and   we   value   KPLU’s   refusal   to   compromise   the   high   standards   it   has   set  for  its  music,  news,  and  public  affairs  programming.     Our  role  as  the  station’s  Advisory  Council  has  given  us  special  insight  into  KPLU’s  efforts  to   maintain  these  high  standards.    As  stated  above,  our  Council  exists  because  the  Corporation   for   Public   Broadcasting   requires   it   to.     But   it   is   a   testament   to   KPLU’s   commitment   to   quality  and  to  the  communities  it  serves  that  its  staff  engages  the  Council  to  help  it  make   programming  decisions.    We  are  privileged  to  have  worked  closely  with  General  Manager   Joey   Cohn,   News   Director   Erin   Hennessey,   Music   Director   Nick   Francis,   Director   of   Content   Thomas  Krise   Pacific  Lutheran  University  Board  of  Regents   Page  3       Matt   Martinez,   and   other   members   of   KPLU’s   staff.     Indeed,   our   primary   misgiving   about   the   proposed   sale   is   that   it   reflects   the   University’s   apparent   failure   to   appreciate   the   exceptionally   talented   team   KPLU   has   assembled   and   the   commitment   to   excellence   that   is   so   ingrained   in   the   station’s   culture.     There   is   no   stronger   evidence   of   this   commitment   than  the  anger  and  emotion  now  being  expressed  by  KPLU’s  listeners  and  supporters  over   the  possible  loss  of  their  station.     We   also   feel   compelled   to   register   our   concern   that   certain   assertions   made   and   information  offered  by  the  University  to  justify  its  decision  to  sell  KPLU  are  misleading  or   flatly  incorrect.    While  it  is  true  that  overall  radio  listenership  has  declined  in  recent  years   and  that  the  future  of  radio  as  a  medium  is  unclear,  KPLU  itself  is  thriving.    The  station’s   weekly   combined   terrestrial   (on-­‐air)   and   online   audience   now   exceeds   430,000,   up   from   360,000   in   2012.     KPLU   boasts   the   12th   largest   public   radio   audience   in   the   country.     Its   success   in   building   its   listenership   belies   any   assertion   that   the   station’s   programming   is   not  valued  or  is  effectively  “redundant.”       We   also   look   with   suspicion   upon   any   suggestion   that   KPLU   represents   a   significant   financial   liability   to   the   University.     More   than   half   of   KPLU’s   $7M   annual   operating   budget   is   funded   by   individual   donors,   with   35%   underwritten   by   local   businesses,   and   the   remainder   funded   through   CPB,   grants,   and   foundations.     The   University’s   annual   cash   contribution   to   KPLU   of   approximately   $30,000   represents   less   than   one-­‐half   of   one   percent   of   the   station’s   operating   budget.     In   contrast,   the   other   26   private   colleges   and   universities   that   hold   public   radio   station   licenses   give   an   average   of   $290,000   in   cash   support   to   their   licensees,   representing   over   17%   of   these   stations’   total   cash   support.     Fortunately   for   KPLU,   financial   support   from   listeners   has   never   been   higher;   only   in   years   when   the   station   has   launched   major   capital   campaigns   have   total   individual   contributions   exceeded   those   received   in   2015.     That   this   support   came   despite   shortened   fund   drives   proves  that  public  radio  listeners  can  recognize  and  do  willingly  reward  quality.     We   understand   further   that   the   University’s   desire   to   devote   the   on-­‐campus   Martin   J.   Neeb   Center   to   other   uses   is   one   reason   for   its   decision   to   sell   KPLU.     The   University   seems   to   have   forgotten   that   the   construction   of   the   Neeb   Center   was   funded   primarily   through   donations   by   KPLU   supporters.     Six   million   dollars   was   raised   in   response   to   a   capital   campaign   run   by   KPLU,   and   an   additional   $2.5M   was   funded   through   KPLU’s   sale   of   a   broadcast   tower   it   owned   and   a   withdrawal   from   KPLU’s   cash   reserves.     KPLU   listeners   responded   generously   to   this   campaign   because   they   believed   what   they   were   told—that   a   contribution  was  an  investment  in  KPLU’s  long-­‐term  future.    The  University’s  assertion  that   it   now   cannot   afford   to   allow   KPLU   to   continue   using   a   facility   whose   construction   KPLU   listeners  and  supporters  funded  is  breathtakingly  out  of  touch.     As   an   advisory   council   serving   just   one   of   the   University’s   assets,   we   have   no   obligation,   right,  or  ability  to  evaluate  the  University’s  financial  health.    We  therefore  have  little  choice   but   to   take   the   University   at   its   word   that   the   proposed   sale   of   KPLU   is   not   driven   by   Thomas  Krise   Pacific  Lutheran  University  Board  of  Regents   Page  4       financial   need.     Nevertheless,   we   appreciate   the   financial   pressures   that   all   colleges   and   universities   face,   and   we   understand   how   selling   an   asset   peripheral   to   a   university’s   central  educational  mission  might  have  appeal.    Still,  we  are  concerned  that  the  University’s   decision  reflects  a  failure  to  appreciate  the  true  value  of  KPLU  to  the  University.    And  we   are  equally  concerned  that  it  reveals  a  failure  to  acknowledge  and  act  in  accordance  with   ethical  responsibilities  owed  by  any  holder  of  a  public  radio  license.       We   are   reminded   of   the   financial   problems   faced   by   the   City   of   Detroit   and   the   proposal   to   sell  prominent  works  of  art  owned  by  the  City  and  displayed  in  the  Detroit  Institute  of  Arts.     As  the  owner  of  those  works,  the  City’s  right  to  sell  them  was  not  subject  to  legal  challenge.     But   community   advocates,   civic   leaders,   and   the   local   and   national   arts   community   prevailed  upon  the  mayor  and  City  Council  to  recognize  the  art  collection  as  a  community   asset   and   to   appreciate   the   full   scope   of   the   City’s   civic   responsibilities   regarding   that   collection.    Detroit  has  yet  to  solve  its  fiscal  problems,  but  City  administrators  now  admit   that   what   seemed   initially   to   be   a   responsible,   even   wise   proposal   was   misguided,   shortsighted,  and  a  fundamental  disservice  to  the  community  and,  indeed,  to  the  City  itself.     We  understand  that  the  University,  as  a  private  institution,  has  no  such  civic  obligation.    We   appeal   to   you,   however,   to   recognize   that   the   University   is   the   custodian   of   what   is   essentially  a  public  resource  and  community  asset,  and  to  accept  the  ethical  responsibilities   to  the  public  that  are  intrinsic  to  that  asset.         A   decision   to   sell   KPLU   to   the   University   of   Washington   would   cause   the   permanent   loss   of   a  cherished  institution.    If  the  University  truly  wishes  to  sell  KPLU,  we  urge  it  to  consider   the   possibility   of   community   ownership   or   some   other   means   to   preserve   the   station’s   status  as  an  independent  public  radio  affiliate.    Because  no  financial  urgency  is  driving  the   University   to   sell,   we   ask   that   any   further   action   on   the   proposed   sale   be   deferred   for   a   period   sufficient   to   allow   for   any   such   alternatives   to   be   explored   and   adequately   considered.     Should   the   University   choose   this   course,   the   Council   stands   at   your   service   to   aid  you  in  any  way  it  can.     Sincerely,           Stephen  Tan   Chair,  KPLU  Community  Advisory  Council     cc:     KPLU  Community  Advisory  Council     Joey  Cohn,  KPLU  General  Manager