Keith Whipple, vice president of communications and marketing for Educational Media Foundation, said his company was aware the station was for sale but declined comment.

Community Wireless attorney Joe Wrona also declined to provide details on potential buyers. "We have been approached by other interested parties," he said. "It would be inappropriate to identify them out of respect for their privacy at this time."

Proceeds from the sale of KCPW will go to recoup the cost for Community Wireless to acquire 1010 AM and recover the operating losses that have been underwritten by loans from Community Wireless's sale of KCUA, in Coalville. The deadline for submission of offers is March 15.

Community Wireless management has come under fire in recent years after critics called into question the compensation of its two top executives, Blair and Susan Fuelner. The couple started Community Wireless 25 years ago and worked as unpaid volunteers for the first several years but have had hefty compensation packages in recent years.

According to federal tax filings by Community Wireless, Blair Feulner was paid $177,877 in total compensation in fiscal 2006 as station general manager and secretary/treasurer.

In fiscal 2005, he received $143,137 in compensation, plus a $39,815 performance bonus for total compensation of $182,952, according to the nonprofit group's tax Form 990 that it filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Susan Feulner was paid total compensation of $94,069, including a $39,815 performance bonus for her work as co-manager of Community Wireless.

In fiscal 2004, the couple received a commission of about $800,000 for selling a Coalville radio station that Blair Feulner bought for $18,800 in 1991.

The IRS filings indicate the station had operating losses of $609,366 in fiscal year 2005 and $413,250 in fiscal year 2006.

Wrona said the goal of the board in selling KCPW is to recoup its initial investment in the station and its operating expenses to date, although he declined to estimate an amount it would be seeking as a sales price. He added that with the growth of the Park City and Salt Lake City radio markets, it would be best for each operation to have its own distinct administration.

"The Salt Lake stations have grown in size and complexity to the point where they really do require very direct management that's focused exclusively on the needs of the Salt Lake stations," he said. "At this point, we feel that there are groups out there in a better position to manage and operate the Salt Lake stations than Community Wireless."

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E-mail: jlee@desnews.com