Editing WCBE (section)

== Financial scandal and aftermath ==
The major public radio programs had also historically been broadcast on the WOSU (820 AM) signal, but a series of changes in 2010 allowed [[Ohio State University]] to move the classical broadcast to [[WOSA]] (101.1 FM), their AM news service to the [[WOSU-FM]] (89.7 FM) signal, and [[WKVR (FM)|WCVZ]] (102.5 FM) became the new home for the former CD101 alternative rock station in a financial deal worth $4.8 million.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/06/30/wosu-buying-station.html?sid=101 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223202830/http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2010/06/30/wosu-buying-station.html?sid=101 |archive-date=December 23, 2010 |title=WOSU stations in deal with WWCD {{!}} The Columbus Dispatch}}</ref>  Ohio State would then sell the 820 AM station to St. Gabriel Radio in a $2 million transaction.  That station now broadcasts as [[WVSG (AM)|WVSG]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wosu.org/off-air/sale-of-am820-is-bittersweet/|title=Sale of AM820 is Bittersweet &#124; WOSU Public Media|accessdate=August 13, 2023}}</ref>

This competition created financial pressures for WCBE and General Manager Dan Mushalko was let go in 2019 having been convicted of telecommunications fraud for altering invoices to hide station debt from Columbus City Schools leadership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dispatch.com/news/20191023/former-manager-of-wcbe-radio-gets-probation-for-altering-invoices|title=Former manager of WCBE radio gets probation for altering invoices|first=John|last=Futty|website=The Columbus Dispatch}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://cpb.org/files/reports/WCBE-FM-Columbus%20-Determination-Letter.pdf|title=WCBE FM Columbus Determination Letter
|website=cpb.org|date=August 31, 2020|access-date=August 13, 2023}}</ref> Ohio State University and WOSU hired former Columbus Mayor [[Michael B. Coleman]] to negotiate with a private group called WCBE Ohio to take over station operations, but did not negotiate with the district.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dispatch.com/news/20190311/ex-mayor-michael-coleman-involved-in-proposal-to-have-wosu-take-over-wcbe-documents-show|title = Ex-mayor Michael Coleman involved in proposal to have WOSU take over WCBE, documents show}}</ref>  The district paid off station debt with public funds and elected to retain the license.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/education/2021/08/15/columbus-city-schools-sell-its-npr-station-wcbe/5537967001/|title = Will Columbus City Schools sell NPR station WCBE? It's still unclear, 2 1/2 years after financial scandal}}</ref>

In October 2022, acknowledging the financial pressures on the station, General Manager Greg Moebius announced programming changes, including elimination of programs duplicated by WOSU-FM, dropping programs such as ''[[Morning Edition]]'', ''All Things Considered'', ''[[Fresh Air]]'', and ''[[Marketplace (radio program)|Marketplace]]''.  The station would instead focus on a near exclusive AAA music format and increasing involvement by Columbus City Schools students, modeling the format on [[WAPS (FM)]] in Akron, Ohio.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/education/2022/10/27/columbus-city-schools-wcbe-now-offering-less-npr-more-local-programs/69595950007/|title=Columbus City Schools launches new WCBE format with fewer NPR shows and more local music|website=The Columbus Dispatch}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wcbe.org/a-note-from-the-general-manager|title=A Note from the General Manager|website=WCBE 90.5 FM}}</ref>