WKAR and Detroit Public Television announced a partnership Monday, avoiding the potential sale of WKAR in the process.
The announcement comes just a day before MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon was scheduled to make a decision on whether to go forward with the FCC auction of WKAR.
Simon announced at a news conference that MSU will not move forward with the Federal Communications Commission auction.
“One of the criteria we had when thinking about the spectrum auction was the impact on students,” Simon said.
MSU Trustee Brian Mosallam said the board fully stands with President SImon and her decision not to file for the FCC auction in addition to the collaboration with DPTV.
Simon and President of Detroit Public Television President Rich Homberg announced MSU will partner with DPTV in future collaborations.
“The values of MSU the work we do match the values of Detroit Public Television,” Simon said.
Simon said MSU needs to look to the future in terms of programming and streaming.
The new partnership will create new forms of programming for both stations. Specifically, DPTV and WKAR plan to develop new children’s pre-school 24/7 programming.
“It’s not that we’re producing more traditional shows," Homberg said. "We’re producing more of everything."
Last year, DPTV became a part of the Ready To Learn funding, one of 11 stations in the country.
“Sometimes it’s a show," Homberg said. "Sometimes it’s a stream.”
Both presidents said they look forward to the future of the partnership to better the programming for audiences.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
