A group of four local foundations that purchased a 60-day option on public radio station WDUQ-FM (90.5) to buy time for a purchaser to step forward is pulling out.

The foundations said they are withdrawing from the option and will not pursue any further action when the option period ends July 2 because they don't think there is time to work out a comprehensive plan for the station's future.

Duquesne University, which has put the station up for sale, rejected an initial bid from Pittsburgh Public Media, the local nonprofit group that is trying to buy the station and preserve the jazz, news and NPR format.

The foundations decided to purchase the 60-day "no-action" period to keep the station from being sold to a higher bidder -- such as a buyer that would not keep the same mix of news and music. At the same time, a second bid from Pittsburgh Public Media was tabled until the 60-day waiting period ends.

The group includes the Pittsburgh Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, the Richard King Mellon Foundation and a fourth anonymous funder. The foundations were interested in exploring how to preserve and improve in-depth reporting on issues that are important to the community. They viewed WDUQ as a potential part of an innovative community platform that would preserve high-quality journalism in the region.

The option took effect in early May. "The group worked hard for a month to determine how the radio station would add value to the original project in relation to the cost," said the Heinz Endowment statement. "We are not enough along in that analysis and in our solicitation of community input, and will not be by July 2, the end of the option period, to explain and justify to our boards and the public exactly how a radio station would enhance the plan."

Based on that assessment, the statement said, the foundations decided to end the option period early.

"We're pulling out of the option, but we're not giving up our interest and support for a quality public radio station that delivers the NPR programming and what we would hope would be enhanced news and information that the community could really respond to," said Doug Root, spokesman for The Heinz Endowments.

Grant Oliphant, president of the Pittsburgh Foundation, said it's clear the community has a broad cross-section of support for keeping the station as a public radio asset. If any community group wants to bid on the station, Mr. Oliphant said, "If they have a credible proposal to put on the table, we hope they'll do it now."

"It was important to us to explore every option in working with the foundation community -- first by partnering with the Pittsburgh Foundation in contracting with Public Radio Capital, and then by agreeing to the waiting period," said Bridget Fare, assistant vice president for public affairs at Duquesne University, "We respect their decision and appreciate that they've informed us before the deadline."

Ms. Fare said the university's dialogue with the foundations has been "productive," and that they will keep the lines of communication open.

She also said that Duquesne will return half of the $50,000 paid for the option because the group used only half of the waiting period. "We still do not plan on acting on any proposal before July 2."

"Regardless of what that group is going to do, we at PPM continue to work strengthening our group, board and business plan," said Joseph Kelly, chair of the Pittsburgh Public Media Advisory board.

"The public clamor has been 'Don't let the station disappear.' We really appreciate the foundations' concern and focus on this. It has given us the opportunity to draw public attention to that, and that's been priceless. Because it's the public that makes public radio."

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