Update: 10/25 - The San Mateo Community College District has rejected all bidders in the sale of KCSM-TV. MA's pending public records request for all of the bid documentation will be fulfilled this week - (six months after the request was filed). The board stated that they are still determined to sell the broadcast license and will embark on a new RFP process.
Update: 10/22 - The agenda for the 10/24 board meeting at the San Mateo CCD has an item with a recommendation to reject all bids for the sale of KCSM. MA will be there to see what happens. It looks like the sale of the 5th largest public TV signal in CA is *not* imminent.
Update 9/6: The San Mateo Community College District Board of Trustees continues to hold out on MA's public records request (for 5+ months now). The District claims negotiations are still in progress with the two identified bidders, Public Media Company, a division of Public Radio Capitol which most recently sold KUSF to KDFC in a 3-way signal swap with Entercom broadcasting and Independent Public Media, a Denver-based nonprofit. Trustees claim neither bidder has satisfactorily met the District's financial requirements nor FCC license-holder requirements to date.
From the September 2012 edition of the American Federation of Teachers Advocate
(Local 1493), the union at the College of San Mateo
Sale of KCSM-TV still in limbo; District holds out on public information request
In May the District announced the upcoming sale of KSCM-TV, the noncommercial TV station it has owned and operated for 48 years. Their action was part of an epidemic of higher education institutions nationwide ridding themselves of educational TV and radio licenses. At that time, Media Alliance, a Bay Area public interest group that advocates for press freedom and media access and accountability, filed a public information request to make the list of bidders public.
The District has held out on Media Alliance’s public records request for 5+ months now. The District claims negotiations are still in progress with the two identified bidders, Public Media Company, a division of Public Radio Capitol which most recently sold KUSF to KDFC in a 3-way signal swap with Entercom broadcasting and Independent Public Media, a Denver-based nonprofit. Trustees claim neither bidder has satisfactorily met the District’s financial requirements nor FCC license-holder requirements to date.
Update 5/29 - KCSM; Update: The bid documentation has still not been released and MA's Public Records Request is pending. The San Mateo Community College District staff has delayed the recommendation of a bid to the trustees to at least the end of June.
As part of an epidemic of higher education institutions nationwide ridding themselves of educational TV and radio licenses, the San Mateo Community College District in Northern California has announced the upcoming sale of KSCM-TV, the noncommercial TV station it has owned and operated for 48 years.
Press Coverage:
American Federation of Teachers Advocate
Huffington Post
The San Matean
Patch
Bay Guardian
The San Mateo Community College District Board of Trustees has put
up KCSM-TV, the 3rd largest independent public television station in California, for sale.
Six bids were received on February 14, 2012.
Public interest advocates like Media Alliance, California Common Cause and
the Media Stewards Project have been asking.
We JUST found out on April 11th
When a broadcast license that operates in the public interest and reaches hundreds of thousands of Bay Area residents goes up for sale, shouldn’t those residents have a chance to see the bids and offer their opinions?
Some trustees seem to want to vote as soon as April 25th.
We’re asking for a 30-day public comment period for anyone interested to review the bids and express their opinions to the Trustees at one or more publicized and transit-accessible meetings.
If you agree, send an email to trustees@smccd.edu saying:
NO SECRET SALE – POSTPONE THE VOTE!
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