KPLU: Reconsider decision to sell station

Re: “Seattle public radio station KUOW will buy Pacific Lutheran’s KPLU” (TNT, 11-13).

KPLU is not just another National Public Radio affiliate. The station’s historical commitment to quality local news, weather and traffic reporting, interesting music programs and community events makes it special.

KPLU’s spectacular reputation reflects well on PLU. It is incredibly effective promotion for the school and Tacoma.

Part of the uniqueness of public radio is that listeners are not just consumers of the station’s product; we are also investors in the station. When PLU allows KPLU to complete an annual pledge drive and weeks later announces intent to sell the license to a competing affiliate it violated public trust, intentionally or not. This reflects poorly on the leadership at PLU, not KPLU.

The employees are KPLU’s greatest assets. Public statements by Caryn Mathes, president and general manager of KUOW, make it clear that KUOW has no intention of retaining them.

KUOW hides behind public requirements to openly post jobs. How do you post a job whose sole requirement is to be Dick Stein, Ken Wiley, John Kessler or any of the other great radio personalities at KPLU?

Losing this station is a blow to the cultural richness of the Puget Sound. PLU carefully cultivated something very special and now risks destroying it with one ill-advised decision. On behalf of many loyal KPLU listeners, I urge the university to reconsider.

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 10:20 AM with the headline "KPLU: Reconsider decision to sell station."