According to Barry Moore, chairman for the electronic media and film department, last fall a "broker from an interested purchaser" approached WMJF's management regarding a possible acquirement of the television station's broadcasting license.
The bid was unsolicited. Moore refused to identify the interested purchaser.
"The broadcaster made an offer that we're looking into," Moore said, adding, "It was not as if WMJF put a 'for sale' sign out and people came running."
WMJF's General Manager John MacKerron, an associate professor in the EMF department, also stressed that no decision had been made.
"The sale of the UHF Channel 16 license is being explored and is currently a work in progress, as the sale must be approved by various entities," MacKerron said.
WMJF is a low power television station. The station is simultaneously broadcast via the University's cable system and UHF Channel 16.
According to published reports, the channel's Ultra High Frequency signal extends about five miles.
However, students involved with the station said the signal sometimes barely reaches across York Road. Chief Fiscal Officer David Harnage declined to identify the prospective purchaser.
"There has been no decision at this point," Harnage said.
He added there is no timetable for making a decision.
Subsequent to the unsolicited bid, the University had the station's market value appraised. Harnage declined to say what the value of the license would be.
At a February meeting for WMJF's student staff members, MacKerron said the station could be worth $1 million. He told students that some of the money from a potential sale would be directed toward improving the station.
One student suggested the money could be used to boost WMJF's Internet presence, and MacKerron said that was a possibility.
WMJF is a faculty-supervised, student-operated TV station. It has provided programming for Towson University since it launched in 1991.
The station broadcasts MTV2 programming alongside student-produced news, sports and entertainment shows.
"Should the license be sold, we're confident that WMJF would continue to provide programming to the University community and serve as an educational experience for Towson students," MacKerron said.
The EMF department administers the station, which receives funding from the Student Government Association.
Five years ago, WMJF doubled the power of its transmitter and moved its UHF signal to Channel 16.
According to a Towerlight story in December 2000, the station purchased a new antenna and tower during the same time as its transmitter and UHF upgrades.
The station's class A television license was renewed in September of 2004, according to a filing with the Federal Communications Commission.
Moore stressed there is no concrete offer on the table to buy the station. He described the station's operations as "business as usual."
"This is a very complicated issue and it has been kept relatively quiet because there's just too many things up in the air," Moore said.
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