GENCORP <GY> BID COULD BE RAISED, GROUP SAYS An investor group said it might be willing to raise its 100 dlr per share offer for GenCorp but so far the company has turned down requests for a meeting. "We might be able to see some additional value if we could meet" and get more financial data, said Joel Reed, speaking for the investor group. Reed told Reuters that GenCorp chairman A. William Reynolds "was not interested in sitting down and talking with us at this time." Cyril Wagner sought the meeting in a recent telephone conversation with Reynolds, Reed said. Wagner and Brown, along with AFG Industries Inc <AFG>, recently launched a surprise tender offer for GenCorp. The offer is worth 2.23 billion dlrs. Reed said under the circumstances the 100 dlr per share tender offer, which expires April 15, is a fair offer. GenCorp gained 3-1/2 to 114 today on the NYSE. Reed outlined a plan to reshape GenCorp in the event his group wins control. He said aerospace, soft drink bottling and entertainment units are potential divestiture candidates. He said the tire business, which the group wants to keep, may be more viable if merged with another tire company. "One option would be to try to grow the tire business through combination or an acquisition," Reed said. He said he believes such a merger could create a stronger force in the tire industry. Gary Miller, chief financial officer of AFG, said his company has a record of acquiring mature businesses and boosting productivity. Automation and incentives tied to profit sharing have been used with success, he said. In the case of GenCorp's RKO General broadcasting stations, Reed said the plan of the partners is to step into GenCorp's shoes and proceed with plans to sell the stations. The partners said if they succed in acquiring GenCorp they intend to consummate sale of WOR-TV in New York to MCA Inc <MCA>. GenCorp last year entered into an agreement to sell the station for 387 mln dlrs. The partners also said if they acquire Gencorp they would also proceed with the proposed sale of KHJ-TV in Los Angeles to Walt Disney Co <DIS>. RKO General would receive 217 mln dlrs and Fidelilty Television, which challenged the license, would get about 103 mln dlrs. The partners also said the Federal Communications Commission established an expedited schedule for receiving comments on their request for special temporary authorization of proposed trust arrangements while the FCC considers a formal application for transfer of the broadcast unit. Reed said he was pleased with the expedited schedule because it provides time for the agency to act on the request before the expiration of the tender offer. He said it was the aim of the partners to move as quickly as possible to eliminate uncertainty surrounding the stations. Asked about criticism of the takeover attempt voiced by some municipal officials in Akron, Ohio, where GenCorp is headquartered, Reed said, "the plan of the partners offers long term growth for Ohio." He noted that the aerospace business, slated for divestiture under the partners' plan, is located in California. "Our program is one that overall would provide the greatest long term growth for all segments," he said.