The university's auction of its WIPB station and the 600 MHz of spectrum — wireless signals — that go with it, is still underway and could generate as much as $277 million for Ball State.
This auction is called the Federal Communications Commission Broadcast Incentive Auction. Companies like Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and others could take part in the auction and bid for different amounts of the spectrum. These wireless signals enable mobile phones to function.
Ball State's Board of Trustees, which approved the auction in March, will work with the FCC over time to decide either on a selling price for its spectrum or to leave the auction without selling.
While this auction could create funds for the university, if the rights to the broadcasting station are sold, it may affect programs, students and faculty at Ball State.
Dom Caristi, a telecommunications professor, compared the possibility of selling the university's spectrum to selling the paintings that reside in the David Owsley Museum of Art.
"We have millions of dollars in paintings over at the museum. We could sell off all the assets from the museum, … but we're not doing that because we recognize the value of having those. It would be a loss of assets you will never be able to replace," Caristi said. "We could make millions. The same is true with the broadcast frequency, … but once you get out of the broadcasting business, you will never be able to get back in."
Caristi said he doesn't think people realize that without Ball State's broadcasting station, free, public television stations will no longer be available in and around Muncie.
"It affects the nine-county region that WIPB signal covers," he said. "Those 20 percent of people who don't pay for cable anymore, … they will cease to get a signal."
There is still speculation about every effect selling the WIPB could have because of the nature of the auction. Phil Repp, Ball State's vice president of information technology, said in an email the FCC has an anti-collusion rule, meaning those involved cannot speak of possible outcomes.
Along with possible outcomes, the discussion of what the money will be used for if the spectrum is sold is not being discussed.
"That's a legitimate question. What will the university use the money for? We're trying to establish a new college. … An athletic facility? Dorms? Build new educational facility? Nobody knows," Caristi said. "But the issue with the one-time infusion of cash is once you spend it, it's gone."
Michael Harris, a senior telecommunications major and executive producer for Connections Live, a Ball State television program, said he'd like to know what the money would be used for before he can support the auction.
"I think that what I would be interested in goes back to Ball State's transparency," Harris said. "I would just like to see a detailed breakdown of what they plan to do … if they've made the decision to sell it. Why? And what's it going to benefit?"
As a student who works with WIPB, Harris said he thinks his show could continue to thrive even without the broadcasting station. He said their online medium could be all they need.
"We can't track the metrics of who watches the TV show, but we're almost positive we're getting more views online. … And I mean, Buzzfeed doesn't have a television station," he said. "In this millennial age, most people might think we don't need a station."
J Chapman, the president of Woof Boom Radio, a radio company that serves all of East Central Indiana, said he believes there won't be a downside to selling the spectrum.
"When people are going into a process and they can't predict the possible outcome, they might think the worst," Chapman said. "But we should trust that the Trustees have the best interest of Ball State. It's their job to make sure that they look into everything."
As someone in broadcasting with close ties to the Muncie community, Chapman said he thinks the university's commitment to its telecommunication program would prevent Ball State from doing anything that could possibly damage it. He said people should let the trustees do their jobs.
"It's just premature for people to jump to conclusions," he said. "Yes, they're in a quiet period, and people want information. Everybody wants to understand why things are taking place, but it's complex. When people say they don't know, they really don't know. The FCC has never done something like this before."
When Caristi was a professor at Iowa State University, he said he went through a similar situation when they chose to sell their television station.
"It was ... way back in the early '90s. I think it really damaged one of their academic programs," Caristi said. "And I think it's less successful today because the television station is no longer there."
Caristi said he fears the telecommunications program could suffer due to this auction, but also that right now, no one knows what will happen.
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