Current, a radio biz magazine, spotlights Salt Lake's troubled public station KCPW, detailing the station's ride under controversial manager Blair Feulner that has landed the NPR affiliate on the block.

Under Feulner, KPCW of Park City established a successful foothold in Salt Lake City with sibling KCPW. Feulner, well-known in public radio circles as a wheeler-dealer, then borrowed $2.5 million to buy a AM license to allow the station to compete with the UofU's KUER statewide.

Unfortunately, before the first loan payment came due, the AM band was proving a costly mistake and Feulner's pay package, which included a fee for selling a Coalville radio license owned by KPCW, reported by the Trib, had angered many contributors. Current's Karen Everhart revisits the compensation revelation:

Community Wireless paid the Feulners $895,000 for their role in acquiring and negotiating the resale of the Coalville frequency, in addition to six-figure salaries that put their total compensation at $1.1 million in fiscal 2004, according to an audited financial statement that also reported a $675,253 operating deficit for the year.

Reportedly, KCPW has failed to hit recent fund-raising goals. Feulner is retrenching in Park City, putting both KCPW-FM and its AM license up for sale. KCPW's station manager Ed Sweeney has until March 15 to organize a non-profit, Wasatch Public Media, to buy the station. Another potential buyer is USU's public radio station.

Unless, a buyer turns up, Salt Lake may be reduced from three community radio stations to two. And one of those, KRCL, is also struggling financially.

Above: Radio wunderkind Feulner in more innocent times.