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KTXT-FM Lubbock to be sold

E

EggsOverEasy87

Hey everyone. Just wanted to come in here and give you guys an update regarding 88.1 in Lubbock. It looks like Texas Tech is planning to sell the frequency according to the KTXT facebook group. :mad:

This was posted in the facebook group and I thought this was worth sharing on here:

******EMERGENCY******
******EMERGENCY******
TEXAS TECH PLANNING TO SELL KTXT!
FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE
4 TO 5 OFFERS MADE
ALL FROM RELIGIOUS BROADCASTERS
$1.5 MILLION SAID TO BE HIGHEST BID
Get Texas Tech to give us an official denial!

When you mail or call, I'd suggest saying something like:
"I've received information that Texas Tech has put a part of the University's heritage, KTXT-FM, on the auction block. Would you please confirm or deny this statement?"
Chancellor: (806) 742-0012 [email protected]
President: (806) 742-2121 [email protected]
Provost: (806) 742-0012 [email protected]
Peterson: (806) 742-3388 [email protected]
Childress: (806) 742-2691 [email protected]
Shonrock: (806) 742-4360 [email protected]


PLEASE MAIL OR CALL ASAP!
DON'T LET THEM SELL KTXT!

---------

If this rumor is true, then Texas Tech is not going to get another dime from me when I graduate. It is clear that they do not care about their students. They care more about building a leisure pool outside the REC center than giving students the opportunity to learn about broadcasting.

Like we need another Christian station around here too. Brace yourselves Lubbock! Jesus might take over our airwaves :mad: :mad: :mad:
 
It sounds like a repeat performance of Kilgore College's sale of KTPB to EMF a couple of years ago. I think they got $1.6 million for it. Now it is just a 60,000 watt satillator running the K-Love format. I don't think it even makes a blip in the ratings.

For people who like local radio, you should be afraid. Be very afraid. Usually college stations run at a deficit. In these troubled times, it is easy to understand why the powers that be are interested in turning an ongoing expense into some positive numbers. The down-side of such thinking is there is much more to a college radio station than can be valued in dollars and cents.

Although I don’t live anywhere near Lubbock, I hope for the sake of your community that people are able to persuade the University to re-think their decision.
 
More updates on the 88.1 sale rumor

So...now everything is kind of confusing...and until I see this from a reliable source, then i'm not going to believe that they are selling it. My post above is a perfect example on why you can't rely on others for sources sometimes.

Here is the new update from the facebook group:

REVELATIONS ON THE "ARE THEY SELLING KTXT?" QUESTION:
FACTS, OFFICIALS, SEEM TO SAY "NO."
SAVE KTXT RECEIVES OFFICIAL DENIAL!
EMERGENCY OFF -- FOR THE MOMENT
UPDATE FROM JASON RHODE, SAVE KTXT ADMIN:

According to reports:
Susan Peterson says Transmitter and License will remain in the University.
According to her the "Sale" Issue is a Rumor.
Peterson further stated that Production Equipment and Facilities would be used to continue With their Internal Productions for the Web. If another department wants to pick it up, it can be transferred, but there is no plan to sell the equipment outside of the university.

I (Rhode) don't know what to believe. Here is what I think so far:

1) If it's a lie, it's pretty baldfaced, and we've got it on record. If there really were plans to sell the station, you'd expect more equivocatory language. It's very hard to get out of a statement like that. Also, it'd be more in their character to just do it without telling us. Why bother to fabricate? I don't trust Student Media, but I do trust that they act what they perceive to be in their best interest.

2) Against this, our original source told our Exec Staff Members this information twice, on two separate occasions.

3) However, I asked a very smart independent researcher I trust to take a look at this. He just mailed me and said he had reason to believe that Peterson's report was credible.

4) Student Regent Kelli Stumbo would probably know if this was happening, and she's denied it too.

5) My researcher: "It's institutionally difficult to sell equipment; it has to go to an auction and be publicly listed well in advance. There are a lot of rules, as far as I know. It isn’t like she [Peterson] owns it. Her dept. is in charge of it. Another dept. could possibly have it, if you guys could convince another dept. to open an FM station ... The license probably cannot be sold, as it is for a non-profit, educational station."

6) Occam's Razor suggests the simplest argument is the best. Mr. Duncan's law argues against malice and for miscommunication in this case.

So you have a Credible Source on one side, and on the other Student Media (who I don't trust) + Kelli Stumbo (I do trust, for various reasons) + My researcher (I trust).

Is it rumor or truth? I don't know what to think. I'm in the same boat as you.

I'm the admin for the group. The arguments above tell me it might be a false alarm, so I'm calling off the emergency. Until I heard solid information in the opposite direction, that's where I stand. You'll have to make your own call.

-------------------
??? ??? ???

In my opinion, I think this is only a rumor right now...but then again, not to bash Peterson or anything, but should we believe anything that she says anymore?

Hopefully in a few days, we will find out what is up and any information that I hear, I will post up here. Thanks everyone on radio-info for your support.
 
It depends on what they would be selling.
At this point, the frequency doesn't really matter anyway. 88.1 is gone, so that's not really an issue. So if that's what they are selling, consider it lost already.

As far as equipement... Well, why would they sell that? Unless its outdated or broken, they can use it for KOHM.

Allowing another entity to use the KTXT call letters?
Don't see that happening. The TV station is KTXT, why would you let a non-university related group (let alone a religious group) use those calls? With all the licensing trouble they gave Red Raider Outfitters?

My suggestion?
A group of students and/or alumni should get together and try to buy a frequency, something like KDAV, and then see if the university will let them use the KTXT calls. If not, it can be a college community type station with some other similar calls. So what if its on AM? People can still hear it and that's all that really matters, I would think. There's also the internet web thing that can go tandem with that.

Well, that's my solution anyway.
The community needs a college based student rock station, it doesn't have to be "KTXT." I think the solution is not to become too focused on the "KTXT" name, and try to think more about saving the style and spirit of the station.
 
In this economic climate I think its safe to assume that KTXT is going to be sold.
The university board is going to see $1.5 million dollars and roll over.
There is going to be a Texas Legislature ordered tuition freeze - and the school needs money.
Unless some rich alum comes up with the cash - and comes up with a long term self-sustainable business plan - get ready to hear "praise the lord" on that station.
BUT - this is not the last sudent radio station in Texas that's going to die in 2009.
I'd bet that Odessa College's KOCV-FM is going to need a savior - in one way or the other.
It was already hanging on by its fingernails before the downturn.

Right now college/university budgets are getting chopped hard - its just too easy to get rid of an expensive luxury, like a college radio station, and turn it into quick cash.
 
No one has brought up that the university could LMA KTXT to another group.
It's done all the time in the commercial world, why not non-comms?
 
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