Ideastream Public Media is looking to expand in Northeast Ohio.
The Portager reports that Kent State University’s Board of Trustees will vote next week on whether to transfer operations of Public News/Talk 89.7 WKSU Kent/Akron to the operator of Public News/Talk 90.3 WCPN Cleveland, Classical 104.9 WCLV Lorain and PBS affiliate WVIZ Cleveland.
If approved, Ideastream will take control of WKSU on October 1. The Portager reports that the eventual plan would be for WKSU and the rimshot 104.9 WCLV signal would be paired as the Public News/Talk station for the Cleveland and Akron markets, while 90.3 WCPN would assume the Classical programming.
The Portager report states that if the Kent State board of trustees approves the agreement next Wednesday, WKSU employees that are offered positions at Ideastream will make at least their current wages, and some will be offered increases to raise them to Ideastream’s compensation levels, but Kent State will continue to contribute to their state retirement benefits.
The following WKSU simulcasters would be part of the deal as well: 89.1 WKSV Thompson, 89.3 WKRW Wooster, 90.7 WNRK Norwalk, 91.5 WKRJ New Philadelphia, 94.7 W234CX Mansfield, and 95.7 W239AZ Ashland OH.
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com