FCC approves transfer of WPSU to WHYY

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The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday authorized the transfer of Penn State University’s public radio and television assets, including WPSU-FM and WPSU-TV, to WHYY.

WHYY and Penn State filed an application July 30 with the FCC to approve the deal for a sale price of $1. Wednesday’s decision marks an important milestone for WPSU, which was once destined to shutter.

“From the beginning, our goal has been to ensure that central and northern Pennsylvania continues to have a strong, independent and noncommercial public media voice,” WHYY President and CEO Bill Marrazzo said in a statement. “The FCC’s approval brings us significantly closer to making that commitment permanent.”

Once the transaction is completed, WHYY will operate its newest assets under the WPSU name.

“WPSU will remain WPSU: locally focused, responsive to the communities it serves and dedicated to telling the stories of central and northern Pennsylvania,” Marrazzo said.

A combination of federal funding cuts to public media and persistent challenges in higher education led Penn State’s board of trustees to wind down operations at WPSU and decline a transfer of sale to WHYY in September 2025.

Ultimately, WHYY and Penn State reached a new deal to save WPSU in October 2025, which involved WHYY raising funds to cover the operating costs of WPSU rather than requiring Penn State to pay a $17.6 million subsidy.

The FCC approval clears the way for WHYY to continue to raise funds for the public media outlet which serves approximately 1.5 million residents in central and northern Pennsylvania.

“For generations, WPSU has been a trusted presence in the lives of people across northern and central Pennsylvania,” said Larry Terry, vice president for Penn State Outreach. “This decision ensures that service will continue under WHYY’s leadership and creates new opportunities to serve communities for years to come.”