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KUSP Explores Strategic Relationship |
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PACIFICA AFFILIATE KUSP WILL EXPLORE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP WITH NEIGHBORING KAZU IN MONTEREY BAY AREA
February 27, 2007
The management of the Monterey Bay's two leading public radio broadcasters, KUSP (88.9 Santa Cruz) and KAZU (90.3 Pacific Grove), announced on Tuesday February 27, that they will explore the formation of a strategic relationship that would improve public radio offerings on the Central Coast.
While no changes in programming are foreseen for the next six months, KUSP and KAZU will begin studying their operations immediately. Should the process point to improvements in service, efficiency and sustainability, station leadership will make recommendations to their respective license holders, the "Pataphysical Broadcasting Foundation and the Foundation of California STate UNiversity Monterey Bay.
By coordinating management and programming functions as well as business underwriting programs and other development efforts, a partnership would increase organizational efficiency - enabling the two stations to cooperatively develop more relevant and compelling content that reflects the geographic and cultural diversity of the Monterey Bay Area - which both stations view as their community of interest.
Improved programming service and increased efficiency are crucial at a time of rapidly changing technology, possible federal funding cutbacks for public broadcasting and disappearing local control of Major media outlets.
Terry Green, General Manager of KUSP, believes that a successful outcome of the negotiations "would enable the two stations to serve the entire spectrum of audience needs. Ideally, we could combine worldwide content from NPR, the BBC, and our other producing partners with strengthened local programming of all kinds - music, arts, news, and public affairs."
Collaboration between public radio licensees serving the same geographic area is a proven practice that results in greater public service and programming diversity. Three recent success stories brought overlapping stations together in Kentucky, Iowa, and Noth Dakota.
KAZU's General MAnager, Duncan Lively, believes that this venture, should it be successful, represents "a sensible evolution of our service to our listening communities."
For further information, please contact KUSP General Manager Terry Green at 831-476-2800 or KAZU General Manager Duncan Lively at 831-375-7275.
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