USC to purchase KCNL for $7.5M to add to Classical Radio Nework

The University of Southern California is buying San Jose-area commercial radio station KCNL for $7.5 million to add to its Classical Public Radio Network, reports Radio Survivor. Currently KCNL airs a Spanish-language paid-programming talk format.

The sale is "big news" for CPRN, "which has been vocal about its desire to expand its programming into the South Bay area," the site notes. USC hopes to begin airing classical programming on KCNL in advance of the license transfer through a lease management agreement. USC also filed a request with the FCC to change the status of KCNL from commercial to noncom after the license transfer.

Here's background on CPRN from Current's Jan. 24, 2011, issue.