KUSP attempts to preempt other potential KAZU suitors

After an extended courtship that culminated in merger talks last year, two California pubradio stations serving the Monterey Bay area are reassessing their future relationship. Late last week KUSP in Santa Cruz offered to purchase or take over management of Pacific Grove's KAZU, but California State University at Monterey Bay's nonprofit foundation, which holds KAZU's license, was cool to the overture. The CSUMB Foundation withdrew from merger negotiations last December, and the KUSP Board put together its offer after learning that CSUMB was talking with broadcasters outside the region about managing KAZU. Local news organizations chasing down the story include the Register-Pajaronian, Santa Cruz Sentinel and local NBC affiliate KSBW. CSUMB's foundation is "in no hurry to sell," reports KSBW correspondent Dale Julin, "that means, meantime, both stations are continuing to annoy listeners by playing exactly the same NPR shows at exactly the same time." Update: In an op-ed published today, Democratic Rep. Sam Farr calls for CSUMB to reconsider the benefits of the proposed merger.