WLRN refutes Miami-Dade Schools' claims in recent lawsuit
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WLRN representative said claims made by Miami-Dade Schools in lawsuit are false.
WLRN's board chair is firing back on a lawsuit Miami-Dade County Public Schools filed last week, calling it a "total ambush."
Why it matters: The pushback is the latest escalation in a conflict that's been brewing all summer between the school district and South Florida Public Media Group, the company that manages the South Florida NPR station.
Catch up quick: Miami-Dade Public Schools — which holds WLRN'S broadcasting license — filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against SFPMG, arguing the company violated its contract with the district when it agreed to acquire a West Palm Beach-based radio station for more than $6 million in June.
- The district alleges the media group would be using funds from an endowment for WLRN that is meant to exclusively support the Miami community.
- SFPMG refuted claims that it breached its contract in a statement to 7News last week.
Context: The lawsuit came just two months after the district filed a petition urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deny the license transfer of the new station, citing SFPMG's "lack of independent funding sources."
The other side: The endowment "is unrestricted," Richard Rampell, chairman of WLRN's board, told Axios in a Thursday interview. "We believe our mission is to provide fact-based news where it isn't provided. We're trying to spread democracy [across] South Florida."
- Rampell called the proposed purchase "a responsible thing" that "fulfills our mission."
Between the lines: Rampell said the WLRN team unsuccessfully "tried for months" to get meetings with Superintendent Jose Dotres and School Board Chairwoman Mari Tere Rojas.
- Records show the district's chief of staff and chief communications officer met in August with WLRN representatives and the parties' liaison.
Following the filing, Dotres told 7News that the resources "need to remain" with the district.
- "Those dollars should be used to enhance programming, improve the facilities of broadcasting, whether TV or radio, and enhance everything related to our community," he told the station.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that, although WLRN has agreed to acquire another station, the transaction has not yet been completed.