Public radio executives are closely monitoring events in Detroit, where the arrival of a new public schools superintendent has fueled speculation about the future of WDTR, the school board's neglected noncommercial station with a much-coveted FM license.

Kenneth Burnley, the new school system c.e.o., took charge last month and began a sweeping management assessment of the school district. In the next three months, an outside consultant will evaluate every department under Burnley's watch, including WDTR. Burnley will then decide on the station's future, possibly keeping it, selling it or contracting another broadcaster to run it.

If Detroit Public Schools sold the station, it would be following a recent pattern of educational institutions bailing out of the broadcasting business. WFBE in Flint, Mich., and WDCU in Washington, D.C., changed hands under similar circumstances.

Leading the queue of broadcasters interested in WDTR is Don Crawford of Crawford Broadcasting, who offered Detroit Public Schools $13.5 million for the station. Most of the Blue Bell, Pa., company's stations are religious.

Disgruntled classical music fans still mourning the recent demise of Detroit's commercial classical station are also eyeing WDTR as a last-ditch hope for fine arts programming. And WDET, the Detroit NPR affiliate licensed to Wayne State University, has offered to buy or manage the station. (see story link for more)