WMVY Sold to WBUR

WBUR announced this morning that is is buying the signal 92.7 FM in Tisbury, which is the current home of WMVY, the Island's radio station.

WBUR is an NPR station, 90.9FM, transmitting from Boston University.

The changeover is expected to take place early next year, pending FCC approval, stated the WBUR press release.

"The mission of the Friends of mvyradio in the next 60 days will be to raise enough pledges from listeners and fans of the nearly 30-year-old independent radio station to sustain mvyradio’s programming and staff and find a solution to continue its broadcasting operations," stated the release.

“We hope our devoted listeners, and the residents and businesses of Martha’s Vineyard will respond and help us continue the ground-breaking digital streaming programming which has become mvyradio’s mainstay while we search for an affordable FM home,” said Joe Gallagher, president of Aritaur Communications, owner of WMVY, in a press release found on WBUR's website. “Our ambitious goal is for mvyradio to evolve into a fully listener-supported streaming music channel and broadcast our programming on a new FM commercial-free signal. It’s an ideal scenario which will require significant fund raising, but we’re committed to making it happen.”

Closing of the transaction is subject to FCC approval. Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.