Marianas Education Media Services will continue the public radio format broadcasting under the licenses approved by the Federal Communication Commission.
The board believes that the re-assignment of KRNM’s radio station license is the best option as the college focuses on the reaffirmation of its accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
The board yesterday authorized NMC President Carmen Fernandez to implement the actions necessary to implement the transfer.
The FCC’s approval is required and the application process is expected to take several months.
Meantime, KRNM will continue to operate with the support of volunteers and the station’s advisory board.
“The assignment of the license is a win-win situation — the people will continue to enjoy public radio uninterrupted and NMC is relieved of a financial problem,” board member and former college president Agnes M. McPhetres said.
For the past 10 years, NMC has been heavily subsidizing the radio station’s operations, which require $120,000 to $150,000 in funding.
KRNM community advisory board chairman Bud White yesterday expressed his appreciation for the regents’ decision.
“It was just so unfortunate,” he said, “that the station did not get the support it needs.”
Marianas Education Media Services plans to negotiate with the non-profit Guam Educational Radio Foundation — the owner of Guam’s public radio station, KPRG — and its network programming suppliers for permission to repeat KPRG’s programming on Saipan.
The programming could be delivered through a high-gain receive antenna and/or data link.
With the re-assignment of the broadcast licenses, KRNM will be “powered off and its equipment liquidated.”
NMC noted that the majority of KRNM’s used radio satellite equipment is already “somewhat obsolete, reflecting technology designed and installed in the mid-1990s.”
