Subject: The. End. or how one community stopped it and saved their radio station
Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:16 AM
From: Steve Jerrett
Reply-To: Folk and Bluegrass DJs
To:
Conversation: The. End. or how one community stopped it and saved their radio
station


First of all, I too mourn the loss of Susan's show. It is huge for her listeners as well as for all of us in the folk community. Her impeccable music selection as shown by her playlists are an inspiration to us all. I wince at the news Bob McWilliams wrote at well. Every time a station drops a folk program, it makes us all poorer by further homogenizing the cultural IQ of the environment.

In 1973, a ragtag group from KPFA came to Mid-MO and created a community supported open access radio station with gumption, spare parts and a vision of what radio should be. KOPN was not affiliated with anyone, but truly independant and its freeform and sometimes off-the-wall programming proved it. There was an untapped audience for this "hippie station" and it caught on. Many involved in its beginnings have since gone on to careers in broadcasting from their training as volunteer broadcasters.

Fast forward about 20 years when I was fortunate to land a volunteer spot at KOPN. Times were difficult financially, and the board of directors had listened to the hype from CPB and (I think) NFCB touting the Healthy Station Project (or some such moniker). They were promoting the theory of homogenized and predictable programming based on the questionable numbers of consultants who were even farther removed from real radio than they were. Volunteer slots were already disappearing, being replaced by canned programs from NPR, PRI and Pacifica. Brian Mann, the GM (you might have seen him recently on Book TV), had instituted a strip of AAA music in the afternoons and had already abolished the classical programming. When he proved ineffective in reducing the redness of the bottom line, he went away. After a period of time when the treasurer also served as GM, Steve Spencer was hired. He believed in the philosophy expressed in Helen Barrington's letter. One Monday morning, with no warning, the local shows during the Monday-Friday drivetime and workday hours were replaced by NPR/PRI etc programs by merely flipping a switch. Programmers were not even told in advance. The outcry was huge. Before long, there wer almost no volunteers or staff. The red bottom line was huge and it was fairly evident that Spencer was moving towards selling the station. The theories touted by CPB and the ignorant consultants were 100% wrong.

To make a long story short, the community (former and remaining volunteers along with long-time listeners and supported) rallied, held fund raisers and convinced the board to take a harder line with Spencer. He was subsequently fired and went on to destroy the programming at WYSO. I am glad to report that he is no longer there and they are beginning the long process of recovery and rebuilding. The new board at KOPN ran the station for about a year or so and then hired David Owens as GM. As an early participant in the formation and growth of the station, he had not had the wool pulled over his eyes by the BS of ratings and consultants and still believed passionately in the original mission of community radio. Not only do we now have more local programming than canned, we are in the black. We took our station back along with our tiny corner of the airwaves.

I am saddened that radio stations are still listening to these consultants whose numbers can be reinterpreted to suit whoever is hiring them and even more saddened when the dumbing down of the country claims one more of our fellow djs. Personally, I can't stand too much chatter radio, and Dian Rehm's voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I am glad, Susan, that you are still on the air in at least one "market". Your listeners in Amherst are poorer for your departure, however, thanks to the stupidity of the GM and whoever is pulling her leash. They seem to have forgotten what radio is about and want to turn it into a senseless clone that has little if anything to do with the community it serves.


Sigh.

Hang in there, Bob!

--
Steve Jerrett
Folk Alliance
KOPN's Sunday Morning Coffeehouse
Columbia, MO
A Sing Out! Radio Partner
New Website! - http://www.SundayMorningCoffeehouse.org
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