notalent said:
Your comments are incorrect. One can't simply plug a station into an open combiner port. There is no such thing as an "extra port" or open ports. What is required are expensive high power filters to include a channel into the combined antenna system. In most cases the system requires modification and re-tuning of all the filters within a balanced system to accomodate another station. For example, each station combined into the Ratelco master antenna have to purchase custom made combining filters which years ago when installed were around $70K each. Add in the labor and other hardware required, and the price easily goes above $100K. There may be capacity on the system to accomodate a station like KUOW, but entry isn't free as you suggest. The same goes for the Entercom combiner system at their site.
Secondly your assumption that a successful public station like KUOW would somehow benefit from a 100kW signal on Capitol Hill, to a 8.1kW signal from Cougar Mt. is flawed. KUOW would risk a severe coverage loss in the form of field strength by making that move.
Thirdly, the University of Washington has been approached by commercial entities to buy KUOW. Just as with KING-FM and the classical music format, I believe there are specific covenants or other restrictions that prevent the UofW from selling the station to commercial interests.