Centenary Sold Radio Station License To Bolster Academic Programs

Centenary College has sold the license to its in-house radio station, WNTI 91.9, and will be using the funds to further the academic programs of current and future students.

A day after news broke the station had closed abruptly, Centenary College has released a statement regarding the situation and why it took the action it did.

The statement, in full:

Centenary College’s mission is to provide a quality liberal arts education with a strong career focus. To deliver on this promise, we constantly evaluate Centenary’s operations and assets to ensure we are delivering on our top priority -- providing our students with a rewarding educational experience that prepares them for the future.

As part of this ongoing review, we have decided to transfer Centenary’s broadcasting license to another public radio station. We are in the process of finalizing the sales agreement with the new operator, who shares WNTI’s commitment to great music and has the resources to serve the needs of local listeners for many years to come. The proceeds from the sale of the license will be re-invested in Centenary’s academic programs, to benefit current and future students. Centenary will retain its on-campus studio and will continue to operate an internet radio station at WNTI.org, and we will develop new opportunities for students to participate in its operation, along with WNTI’s community volunteers.

WNTI was established over 50 years ago as a college radio station to serve the Centenary campus and to help our students gain first-hand experience in broadcasting. Over time, WNTI evolved from a student-run station into a National Public Radio station serving a regional audience, with a dedicated team of community volunteers and many loyal listeners. Now WNTI is going in a new direction. The change we are undertaking is difficult, but we firmly believe is in the best long-term interests of Centenary College and the greater community served by WNTI.

The school went on to say it cannot, at this time, identify the purchaser of the license until the transaction is finalized, but plans to share more information when it becomes available.

The transaction was made public when WNTI announced the news on its Twitter account early Tuesday morning, saying “Thank you all for listening and for your support. Centenary College sold out (sic) license. WNTI is over.”

WNTI reached an area in northwestern New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania consisting of approximately 1 million people and was launched on Dec. 8, 1958. The studio was located on the first floor of the David and Carol Lackland Center on Centenary’s campus in Hackettstown.

The station was a 24-hours per day operation, supported financially by mostly private sources.

It was known by its listeners to include specialty music, arts, and entertainment programs on weeknights and weekdays, also providing NPR news on the hour and local news produced by Centenary’s journalism department.

Supporters of the station, dubbed “the soundtrack of my life,” hit social media Monday night and Tuesday morning, creating a Facebook page called “Protest Centenary’s WNTI Takeover” to share their sadness, frustration and memories.

According to listener Dave Votta:

“WNTI was a cornerstone for the northwestern NJ music community. It was the one station we could listen to that we knew great music would be playing. I looked forward everyday to hear what Spider Glenn’s daily dose of Dead was going to be! WNTI helped me discover so much new and interesting music throughout the years and there is literally no alternative on our airwaves to replace this void.”

Scott Judy, an employee with the Sherman Theatre in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, also commented.

“I am for one devastated by the robotic Corp overtake of the great station. Mel & I had just created a great bond that would have helped WNTI & the Sherman Theater in a quest for great community service to the listening area. It is a very sad day for the WNTI family.”