https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/09/19/penn-state-wpsu-npr-pbs-cuts/86229372007/
The above link gives the sad news. The one below does also, but with a different take on it.
https://www.statecollege.com/articles/columns/are-we-really-just-going-to-walk-away-from-wpsu/
I am going to give my personal connection to this story without ranting about the budget cuts and who is behind them. The Army taught me BLUF- Bottom Line Up Front. Here it is:
WDFM prepared this November 1974 graduate for his careers in addition to giving him (and many, many others) enjoyment. The station, now WPSU, has grown and provides more to its listeners and deserves to survive. Instead of giving large pay raises, some of that money could be redirected to save the station.
In September 1971, I started at Penn State. As for possible majors, German and Journalism competed. I chose the former, but learned that experience in campus media would also be beneficial and might lead to a career in Journalism.
I joined the staff of The Daily Collegian as a feature writer and became one of two reporters on the Student Government beat. Early in my sophomore year, I left to do News at WDFM. Later, I returned to the Collegian as a columnist. At WDFM, I became Public Affairs Director and eventually Fine Arts Director. That put me in charge of The Third Program, the classical music part of the schedule.
No, I was not a musician. I showed I could manage a staff, and I could pronounce the names of composters and performers. I learned about classical music and was able to select appropriate pieces for classroom use when I wanted "brain music" to play in the classroom when my students read or did deskwork.
My careers were in education: 25 years on the secondary level in three states, about 40 courses taught as an adjunct on the post-secondary level, a Lutheran pastor (serving in the Episcopal Church as well) for 44 years and still active, and as an Army chaplain (Retired Reservist with Veteran Status). In all of them, I had to think quickly, adapt to changing situations, and have the ability to communicate clearly and thoroughly. WDFM helped me with that.
First of all, I had to find a voice other than my native Western Pennsylvanian. That still comes out, but announcing classical music, I had my own radio voice. Friends would ask me on campus if that really was me on the radio.
The first time I was live on the radio came unexpectedly. I walked into the newsroom to check the wire. Immediately, the Station Manager and his assistant rushed up to me with a sheaf of papers. The assigned announcer for the 10 p.m. newscast had not shown up. I protested that I had no copy. They handed me the sheaf of papers and said, "Here it is! And don't laugh at the last story!" It was about an abandoned baby found in a Philadelphia trash can. Hardly a laughing matter. But as I read it, I could hear in the background remarks about the story.
Another newscast, a planned one this time, had a DJ moon me from the control booth. I kept my cool.
While I never got my Third Class license to run the board myself and be on the air (I should have), I knew enough in my seminary internship parish to record German dovtionals for myself and my supervisor. The congregation had a service broadcast each week, and there was a radio room upstairs.
Maybe before June 2026, the money will be found, and WPSU can continue. I certainly hope so. Maybe I will write about my experiences in one way or another. Now I will sign off, Arthur Turfa, Fine Arts Director Emeritus
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