Holding our breath over future of The Summit radio in the Valley

The Struthers school board will open bids for its radio station, WKTL-90.7 FM, tomorrow afternoon.

Here’s hoping they are underwhelming.

Because if any bidder knocks the board’s socks off with a whopping cash offer (the minimum has been set at $900,000), the station just might get sold. And that likely would mean that Akron-based The Summit radio station, which currently uses the frequency on a rental basis, would no longer be on the air in the Mahoning Valley.

Which would be a shame.

The Summit is one of the cultural jewels of the Valley, and it has developed a community of fans.

It broadcasts out of WAPS-91.3 FM in Akron and relays the simulcast to the Mahoning Valley via WKTL’s position on the dial as part of a lease deal.

The listener-supported, non-commercial station plays the best quality modern rock – with some classic songs and tunes by local artists mixed in.

The Summit also occasionally brings cool new artists to town. For example, the station (in conjunction with Youngstown State University and its Penguin Productions) is sponsoring a concert by bluesy rocker Adia Victoria tonight at B&O Station (story on page 11).

The Summit fills a need in this area, and I would hate to see it go away.

The Valley has a lot of radio stations (perhaps more than a market this size needs), and in every type of format.

But there is nothing else like The Summit.

The Struthers school board also likes The Summit and would be happy to let its arrangement with the station remain in place. Its call for bids is strictly an attempt to gauge the value of this unique asset.

WKTL was once used as a teaching tool at Struthers High School, but it hasn’t been used as such in many years.

The school board still owns the license, but it has never accurately determined its financial worth. It now feels it has a duty to do just that, said Superintendent Joseph Nohra.

But it is under no obligation to sell it to the highest bidder at this time.

“If we get a bonanza, the board will consider selling it,” said Nohra.

The station recently was appraised at $800,000 (the license is “99.9 percent” of that amount, said Nohra, with the equipment and antenna worth maybe a few thousand dollars).

Nohra says the board loves its partnership with The Summit, and its members even listen to the station. He also noted that the Struthers community still has emotional ties to WKTL.

As of Wednesday, the board had not received a single bid, but it’s not uncommon for bids to arrive the morning of the opening.

No action will take place after the bids are opened Friday, said Nohra; that would have to wait until the next public meeting of the board.

Meanwhile, at Summit offices in Akron, station general manager Tommy Bruno said he is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

The Summit, he said, will not submit a bid for the station. It is hoping to maintain the status quo.

The Summit, by the way, has proven to be in tune with WKTL’s traditional listeners by keeping the ethnic music programs on the air every Saturday.

And Bruno pointed out that his station’s broadcasting location – WAPS in Akron – also is done through a lease agreement with a school board. Like WKTL, WAPS was a student-run radio station for many years, and the Akron school board still holds the license.

Bruno said The Summit understands that school districts have financial responsibilities and must know the value of their assets in order to raise money when necessary.

If the Struthers school board gets an offer it can’t refuse, and it determines that the cash influx outweighs the value of owning a radio station license, it could feel obligated to sell.

But the board also knows that it is providing a great service to its district (and the whole area) by leasing its station to such a high-quality partner.

I’m hoping The Summit stays in the Mahoning Valley.

SPARKY HANGS UP HIS SKATES

The Youngstown Phantoms hockey team – which opens its season Friday at Covelli Centre – is saying farewell to a familiar face. Sparky, the purple dragon team mascot, is “retiring.”

He’ll be present to fire up fans (and say goodbye) Friday.

His replacement – his “cousin,” according to Phantoms management – will be introduced at the Oct. 22 game, which also will be Fantasy/Sci-Fi Night (check out the full schedule of promo nights at youngstownphantoms.com).

JD EICHER TOURS WITH SPARKS

Best-selling novelist Nicholas Sparks was at a Pittsburgh bookstore Tuesday to sign copies of his new novel, “Two by Two,” and JD Eicher, a singer-songwriter and Valley resident, joined him.

Sparks had selected Eicher to put together a soundtrack for his book. Now, the musician is joining the famous author on the first four stops of his book tour, performing at each one.

Eicher said the reaction to the book and the music has been great. More than 1,000 people showed up at the Pittsburgh event.