PROVIDENCE —WBRU-FM may be for sale in the near future.

In a letter sent to WBRU alumni Thursday morning, general manager and Brown University student Kishanee Haththotuwegama said the station's nine-member board of directors had passed a resolution to begin seeking a buyer. The Station Membership, which consists of about 50 Brown University students who work at the station, will vote March 11 on approving a possible sale.

Board member Ted McEnroe said an affirmative vote does not commit the station to a sale, but gives the board the authority to explore its options. He said the board has no specific buyer in mind.

"We've arrived at this point only after exploring a wide range of financial options, yet the challenges we face are more than just financial," Haththotuwegama wrote. "We're also faced with the reality that broadcast radio may not be the most engaging content distribution technology for the student workshop in the 21st century."

According to tax forms which most nonprofits must file yearly, WBRU has been operating at a slight loss since 2012. In fiscal year 2015, IRS Form 990 showed a net loss of $54,207, with total revenue of $1,330,346.

WBRU, which broadcasts at 95.5 FM, is a commercial modern rock station that is mostly staffed by Brown students, although there is a core of paid, full-time employees. Technically, the station is not affiliated with Brown University, but is run by an independent nonprofit, Brown Broadcasting Services. It is jointly governed by the board of directors and the Station Membership.

Both must approve a sale process.

For many years WBRU has been an important presence on the Rhode Island music scene. Almost every year since 1980, the station has held the WBRU Annual Rock Hunt to showcase area bands. Since the mid-1990s, WBRU has presented a summer concert series in outdoor venues around Providence.

Some WBRU alumni strongly oppose the sale, and wrote their own letter to fellow WBRU alumni. The letter said a group of station alumni have already met with WBRU staffers about a revitalized business plan, and that the station could survive, even thrive, with a better sales effort and a more robust digital presence.

"I would be very surprised if the station is sold," said Patti Galluzzi, one of the signers of the letter. "If it is, it will be devastating to Brown alumni."

asmith@providencejournal.com

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