This is the Penn State logo on the side of a Penn State merchandise trailer outside Beaver Stadium on Friday, Sept. 5, 2014 in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
PHILADELPHIA (October 15, 2025) – WHYY, the leading public media provider in the Philadelphia region, on Monday, October 13, 2025 announced the Penn State Board of Trustees’ unanimous approval of the material terms for a proposed transaction to transfer to WHYY the operating assets of WPSU, including its public radio and television stations.
This acquisition marks a significant milestone and underscores WHYY’s commitment to ensuring that everyone, including the 1.5 million community members in Central Pennsylvania who count on WPSU, continues to have reliable access to free non-commercial local public media services.
The proposed transaction will bring together WPSU’s television and radio stations with WHYY’s operational strengths, reinforcing the availability of trusted local news, educational resources and meaningful cultural programming. Through this partnership, WPSU will be able to continue its long-standing tradition of local storytelling, provide critical coverage of regional issues and support educational engagement for individuals, families and schools throughout Central Pennsylvania. Both organizations are dedicated to a seamless transition to best serve employees, members and audiences.
“At a time when access to local news and community-centered programming is more crucial than ever, this acquisition affirms WHYY’s commitment to preserving public media communities in and around Central Pennsylvania,” said Bill Marrazzo, president & CEO of WHYY. “Through the survival and continued growth of WPSU, we are ensuring that local voices are heard, local stories are told and that every resident has access to the informative and educational resources that define public media.”
Combining WHYY’s production experience with WPSU’s deep roots in Central Pennsylvania will provide residents with expanded high-caliber news reporting, in-depth public affairs programming and innovative learning opportunities. The agreement not only secures the future of WPSU’s legacy in the region but also positions local public media to address new challenges and opportunities in the evolving media landscape.
“I’m thrilled we were able to bring this agreement to this promising point,” said Sara Thorndike, senior vice president for finance & business/treasurer for Penn State in a university statement issued Monday. “We know what WPSU means to its listeners and viewers and the vital role public radio and television play in Central Pennsylvania, so we continued to explore opportunities with WHYY with the goal of keeping WPSU operational.”
The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals from WHYY’s board of directors and the Federal Communications Commission before it is finalized.
About WHYY:
WHYY, the Philadelphia region’s leading independent, non-commercial public media provider, has served southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and all of Delaware for more than 70 years. WHYY’s mission is to engage audiences, expand perspectives, and empower communities through lifelong learning, truthful reporting, healthy dialogue, and amplification of diverse voices. The station’s national production and presentation roster for public media includes Fresh Air with Terry Gross & Tonya Mosley, the award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues; the children’s arts education series Albie’s Elevator and The Infinite Art Hunt; the weekly science and health program & podcast, The Pulse as well as a variety of documentaries, series, and specials. WHYY also serves as the Local Primary 1 (LP1) station for the Philadelphia emergency alert system (EAS) operational area, acting as the region’s primary broadcaster for receiving and relaying emergency alerts to other stations and cable systems—ensuring the public receives timely and potentially lifesaving information. For more information, visit WHYY.org.
