At long last, a new owner

The Coast Community College District board finalized its deal with

the KOCE-TV Foundation last week to sell the public broadcasting

station to its fundraising arm.

Hopefully, that will be the final word in a debate over who should

take control of the station.

The only thing standing in the way now is a lawsuit by Christian

broadcaster Daystar Television Network, claiming it should have been

named the highest responsible bidder for its $25.1-million cash

offer.

The California Education Code states that community college

districts can sell property “for cash” to the “highest responsible

bidder.”

The total purchase price of the agreement between the college

district and the foundation is $28 million, with $8 million up front

and the rest on a promissory note. While it is significantly less

than the $32-million bid that the district accepted from the

foundation in October, the decreased amount takes into account other

compensation, such as television programming that the station will

provide for the district, including 40 hours a week of televised

college courses, district officials said.

Trustees are not ignoring the education code. They are considering

all parts of it -- getting cash, but also what they feel is a

responsible bidder for the school and community.

The college district board thought about the sale long and hard

before deciding to sell to the foundation. And even once the group’s

bid was accepted, trustees were ready to back off that sale if the

foundation missed its March deadline or if it didn’t drop certain

conditions of the sale. Trustees clearly want what’s best for the

station and the community it serves.

And they’ve found that solution. The KOCE Foundation said it will

retain and grow local and educational programming. Daystar said it

would consider keeping some local programming. But Daystar is not in

the business of producing local or educational programming that could

be used at the colleges.

And while the fate of the station now rests in the court’s hands,

Daystar should accept defeat gracefully and turn the other cheek.

Failing that, hopefully the courts will decide the college

district board acted legally in doing what it felt was the right

decision for the students and community.