For APM: DC Must Wait

Looks like APM won't be setting up shop in Washington, DC quite yet. From the always on top of things website dcrtv.com:

WGTS Sale Deferred - 9/20 - DCRTV hears that the trustees of Takoma Park's Columbia Union College voted today to defer selling Christian contemporary WGTS (91.9 FM). For now, anyway. The station was expected to be sold to Minnesota Public Radio parent American Public Media to become a news talker. WGTS will continue "as is" for foreseeable future, we're told. We also hear that WGTS made a like announcement on its airwaves on Thursday afternoon.....

And at the WGTS website:

http://wgts.org/wordpress/?p=287

APM to buy DC Station?

First reported in the DC area on the DCRTV.com website and now in the Washington Times: American Public Media appears to be the leading bidder for WGTS, a Contemporary Christian radio station serving the DC area.

There's no word on what format APM might put on the air if it buys WGTS, but one thing is for certain. The impact will be felt at NPR as well as at WAMU and WETA. Having a station presence in the nation's capital gives APM greater national programming clout and the opportunity to compete for a big pot of DC-based underwriting dollars.