USF DISMANTLES KUSF STUDIO IN VIOLATION OF FCC REGULATIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Irwin Swirnoff 415.424.5904
Kenya Lewis 415-516-8614
savekusf.news@gmail.com

USF DISMANTLES KUSF STUDIO
IN VIOLATION OF FCC REGULATIONS
 
San Francisco, CA (June 6, 2011) -- The fight to save the broadcast license for KUSF
90.3 FM continued this week when attorneys for Friends of KUSF filed a declaration with the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in support of its original Petition to Deny the
transfer of the broadcast license. The Declaration documented that the University of San
Francisco, the licensee of KUSF, had dismantled the station’s broadcast studio. This action
violated the licensee’s obligation to retain the ability to broadcast, pending a ruling by the FCC.

FCC rules prohibit the transfer of control of a broadcast station without prior consent by
the Commission. Attorneys for Friends of KUSF raised the issue in its original Petition to Deny
the transfer of the license, filed with the FCC in February, arguing that USF is no longer in
control of programming at KUSF. USF's own attorneys, in their response to the original Petition,
argued that according to FCC rules, license holders are only required to maintain a main studio
that has the ability to originate programming.

USF dismantled the Phelan Hall broadcast studio in late May.

Peter Franck one of the attorneys for Friends of KUSF commented: “This action by the
University is one more action which demonstrates that the parties to this whole transaction act
as if the FCC was nothing but a rubber stamp. In fact approving this license transfer would
violate the FCC’s duty to act in the Public Interest, as we will point out further if the FCC grants
our petition to set the whole matter for a public hearing.”

Said Irwin Swirnoff, spokesperson for the groups fighting the sale: “Once again, USF
has acted in bad faith towards the community and the FCC. Ignoring the fact that this bad deal
for San Francisco has not been approved, they continue to act in arrogance, ignoring both the
will of the city & violating the rules of the FCC. The time has come for the University to do the
right thing and work with us in getting 90.3 FM back in the hands of the community where it
belongs.”

KUSF 90.3 FM broadcast for over 33 years. It's eclectic mix of programming included
Chinese Star Radio and Good News For Today, which served San Francisco's 157,000
residents who are Chinese by either birth or decent. It also brought bands such as Metallica and
the B-52's to the airwaves for the first time.

On January 18, the University of San Francisco announced the sale of the 90.3 FM
broadcast license to an out-of-town corporation formed to broadcast classical music. KUSF 90.3
FM is world renowned for broadcasting groundbreaking music as well as cultural programs
aimed at the diverse San Francisco community. Since the shut down, San Francisco has been
without those programs.

Since the shutdown, former KUSF DJs and volunteers as well as members of the
community have worked to stop the sale of the license. Partnerships have been established,
both locally and nationally, including with WFMU (91.1 Jersey City, N.J./90.1 Hudson Valley,
N.Y.), which has been providing an Internet stream for KUSF since March
(www.wfmu.org/kusf.pls).

The proposed sale of KUSF 90.3 FM's broadcast license is part of a dangerous national
pattern. Approximately 12 college and community stations have disappeared in the last 5 years
including the recent sale of Rice University's KTRU. This trend is harming local communities by
depriving them of the diverse culture and voices that the FCC requires non-commercial
educational stations to serve.