KTRU: No. 1 Local Music Story Of The Year

• I literally grew up with KTRU. When I was 11 or so my father told me there was a radio station he thought I'd like, and being in a Houston exurb (their tower was much weaker then), we fumbled with the antenna until we could tune it in reliably. It's no exaggeration to say that it changed my life, and expanded my perception of what music could be. A few years later, I attended the protests when there was trouble in 2000 -- in fact I was listening to the station when the on-duty DJ committed the "last straw" act of superimposing music over the sports broadcast. In 2009 (before this latest mess came to light), I was at the right place in life, logistically speaking, to become a DJ on KTRU. My stint as a DJ didn't work out for long. It's hard to say what was the loss of youthful idealization and what was reality, but I felt like the KTRU I was working for wasn't the KTRU that had inspired me years ago. I felt that a lot of the programming had gone from being "off the beaten path" yet engaging, to just plain "weird", yet dull. I believe that when something is coming from a place of vitality, and made with love, it shines through -- but I wasn't getting that feeling anymore. Some of it might have to do with the phasing-out of radio as the predominant way that kids find out about cool music. It just didn't feel like "the place to be" anymore. This feeling of dismay was reinforced in my dealings with staff (excluding the fantastic and supportive civilian Engineering Director, and the civilian Station Manager.) For lack of a better analogy, I felt that I was dealing with the petulant grandchildren of a self-made billionaire. All of the spark, the character, and the spirit that led to the making of the fortune was missing in the heirs, who had long-forgotten was it was really about, and merely saw it as their entitlement to lord over others. This impression was further bolstered when I met some of the early founders and benefactors at the 2010 "Save KTRU" meetings -- and, almost as if on cue, witnessed them getting shouted down for trying to talk sense. During my brief stay at KTRU, I remember being shocked at the level of open hostility the KTRU faction reserved for the Rice Administration, and of the general attitude of unwillingness to make themselves useful to the University at large. On multiple occasions, I explicitly noted that it seemed unwise to bite the hand that feeds you regardless of what agreement was in place, or however morally superior you think you are. I wondered out loud how long the Rice bosses would put up with it. Not even a year later, I got my answer when the purchase announcement came. I don't know if it would be fair to say that a different KTRU-RiceU relationship strategy, implemented years ago, would have saved 91.7 FM. But, I can say with certainty that it's always good to be well-known as a helpful person and not a burden. When times get tough, the positive favor you've built over the years pays dividends. Sincerely, Ryan Supak

• Mark, I think extreme conservatives are attempting to hijacked this forum and move the dialog into an anti PBS rant or universal health-care rant or any other topic centered around federal spending or the president's birth certificate. They're just trolling around looking for the opportunity to push their political agenda. Remember BigBird?

• I am not talking about KUHF--I am talking about the proposed format for 91.7 if UH takes it over. And where do you get this crap that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is the "umbrella organization" for other public broadcasting organizations? It is the organization that *distributes* federal funds to other public broadcasting organizations--and stations more than networks or program suppliers. The organizations that receive the money are not told (or not supposed to be told) by the CPB what to do with it. As a reminder, remember that despite the ham-handed attempts of the George W. Bush appoinitees that briefly controlled the CPB, Bill Moyers kept his job for PBS and left last year on his own accord, not because the CPB wanted him out. The sheer stupidity of so many KTRU supporters in this forum when it comes to public broacasting (and broadcasting in general) makes me wonder how much of an "educational" experience they had or have at the station--and it's interesting that the alumni names that KTRU uses as backup for forcing Rice (the actual license holder, in case no one's forgotten) to not sell the station does not include any professional broadcasters working in radio or TV today, outside of someone working for Pacifica on the west coast. In fact, considering what seems to be the typical view of KTRU staffers toward the broadcasting industry (and what seems to be the typical career pattern of college radio alumni since the end of the 70s), I suspect that most KTRU people will be working in the music industtry as a performer or otherwise after graduation than in broadcasting or media, with the possible exception of rock critics.

• to Mark Jeffries: Repeating "local" weather and traffic throughout the day makes for thin cover. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is the umbrella organization for NPR, American Public Media, et al.

• "Alternative Opinion": If you had bothered reading UH's reply, you would've seen that their proposed scheduled for the 91.7 station has up to 21 hours a day of local programming during the weekdays (and the classical music programming already on KUHF is predominately local). The only national programs on the weekday schedule (if overnights isn't MInnesota Public Radio's Classical 24 service) are from American Public Media and the WFMT FIne Arts Network--NOT NPR.

• Gary: I'm not a financial expert, but I don't believe you're correct here; I've never read or heard anything indicating Rice is anything other than a for-profit private institution (and that includes all the fundraising letters I get sent). And KTRU is absolutely *not* registered as a charitable, nonprofit organization. Why? Because it's a *student organization*, i.e., a club, just like the Rice Karate Club or Hispanic Club. The station is funded by money from the students and uses donated equipment (including the tower that's being sold), and occasionally makes a bit of cash for "outside" stuff like the KTRU Outdoor Show by selling t-shirts and whatnot. That's it; they (unlike KUHF, I should point out) have never solicited anybody for money to run the station. But hey, let's say you're right -- in that case, shouldn't UH also have a marketing plan for advancing the cause of local music? If there is one, I sure as hell haven't seen it. If you're going to hold KTRU to some magical high standard, you'd damn well better hold everybody to it. You ignored the bigger point, however, that KTRU is the *only* station in town that promotes local music to any major degree. The KTRU folks have been doing that for decades now without needing to show a marketing plan to justify their existence.

• to Gary Packwood: Bullsh*t indicators are peaking into the red. The streaming audio argument is a ruse, otherwise UH would be doing it instead of paying $9.5mm for an antenna. Houston or any other city in America is nowhere close to providing free unlimited blanket coverage of WiFi to all of its residents. San Francisco investigated the idea and gave up for all the obvious reasons, the company that provides the infrastructure is going to have charge for the service to cover costs.

• Josh and Alternative Opinion. If Smartphone sales next year blow-past computer sales all bets are off with what is possible with streaming audio signals. The possibilities are endless, I would think. http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/12/22/2011-will-be-the-year-android-explodes/ :: GP

• Jeremy said.. ...Sorry, Gary, but I don't get why KTRU should be expected to have some kind of "marketing or promotional plan to advance the cause of local music." Why would that be, exactly? :: Because Rice University and thus KTRU is a charitable not-for-profit organization that is shielded by the IRS from property taxes and tax on their endowment so they can carry out their mission of improving the community. Having a marketing or promotional plan to advance the cause of local music is improving the community since KTRU is on the record for decades by stating their desire to do just exactly that. :: GP PS: Thanks Ms. Rosa for the invitation! I will listen to Mutant Hardcore this week.

• Sorry, Gary, but I don't get why KTRU should be expected to have some kind of "marketing or promotional plan to advance the cause of local music." Why would that be, exactly? Would you point to The Buzz and demand to see a marketing plan for how they'll help out the local scene? Of course not; because they're a radio station that plays music, just like KTRU. And yeah, it's "music" whether you recognize it as such or not; remember, there was a time when people declared that rock 'n roll wasn't music, too. Speaking in terms of the local scene, the reality is that NO local radio station has done anywhere near what KTRU has to help Houston bands get more exposure. Period. While I love KPFT, I've listened to both stations for years (and yep, I'm a Rice grad, so now you've heard from one Rice alum who has an affinity for KTRU, at least), and KPFT doesn't come close. KTRU's various shows -- even beyond The Local Show -- have given bands here an outlet when nowhere else on the radio dial would. The fact that that may soon be only online is a tragedy, to me, because now, if Band X gets their music played on KTRU (or gets invited to play in the studio), then the only people who will *ever* get to listen will be people who specifically go to KTRU. There'll be no more stumbling across an amazing band while skimming through stations on the car stereo. That's the best part about radio, personally: it's always there, always playing, and I don't need to have to know where to go as long as I can hit the "Scan" button. Only now when I hit "Scan," I'll be a lot less likely to hear anything by somebody from around here.

• What does UH stand to gain by splitting its audience in half across 2 stations, while doubling its operational overhead? What does Rice have to gain by selling off an asset at below appraised value? What does the city of Houston have to gain by having its only classical music station cut from 100,000 watts to 50,000 watts? What does the city of Houston have to gain by eliminating its only indie music radio station? What does the taxpayer have to gain by funding another radio station with the same NPR content that they can already hear?

• Hi Gary Packwood my name is Rosa Guerrero and I am one of the DJs referenced in the article (along with Mr. Butt, we helm Mutant Hardcore Flower Hour Show, Thursdays, 10pm-1am). The show has been on for over 25 years and I've been with them for 3 or 4 years. Just a few points: The reason why so few people have heard of KTRU is that it isn't a commercial station, and as a student club, has very few resources to promote itself (not that popularity has ever been a goal of KTRU, something quite remarkable and unique in radio). Having said that, the fact that so many smart people came to its aid when the board decided to sell something that didn't belong to them morally, does, in fact, speak volumes. Maybe you need to widen your sampling? Not sure. And that Rice students lack affinity for the station is only natural; they are there to study and get out into the "real" world as quickly as possible. KTRU is a student club, and while everyone at Rice is invited to join, very few do. Not everyone's cup of tea and all that. Club KTRU's main responsibility to its student members is to teach organizing skills (and kudos to Mr. Yang, who has been thrust into a fight so much larger than most at his tender age have had to do), on-air and production skills, not to mention engineering and emerging media skills. KTRU club members do all that and STILL do more to promote Houston generally, and local music specifically, I would argue, any other club in this town. And mind you, these are kids most of whom are not from here,and, will only be here a few short years. Pretty nice of them. As for the internet well, I'm not sure how I feel about continuing after KTRU goes radio silent. I'm the kind of mom who either invites the WHOLE class, or no one at all to her kid's birthday parties. And the thought that that ONE disabled guy who calls most weeks from his backyard won't be able to tune in - or those Pasadena kids who call - or the prisoners who write - or anyone else that is handi-capped by not having the internet, well, I'm not sure I want to be any part of that party. I hope you don't think, Gary, that I'm fussing too hard at you. In fact, I invite you to listen in this Thursday at 10 (we're on the intertoobs, you know - no messy antennae residue to deal with!). This week, Mutant Hardcore welcomes home Ray Shea (and possibly David Chaffin if he can get out of New York) who started MHFH, the longest running radio punk show in Texas. I'm sure Ray has a thing or two to say about this whole mucky mess the Rice Board has brought upon itself. So wear some thick underpants if you know what's good for you. I know I'll be bringing my helmet and goggles...

• Well Charlie, I'll give that a go... I've lived in H-Town for ten years and have never met anyone or talked to anyone who knew anything about or listened to KTRU. When on the odd occasion I saw a KTRU bumper sticker while driving, I switched over to KTRU and heard nothing I would even remotely identify as music. And I would stay with the station hoping to hear a local band or some form of local music. Not one time have I ever heard a local band when I switched over to KTRU over these last ten years. I did arrive early for a meeting two years ago at an engineering firm and watched several Rice graduates compute the estimated cost of electricity and maintaining the transmitter and tower and I was honestly ...shocked. But Rice has a big endowment so I thought perhaps someone wanted to spend big bucks so the students who worked at the radio station could gain some experience. In 2009 I naively asked several people if KTRU had some type of marketing or promotional plan to advance the cause of local music here in H-Town and everyone I asked just snickered. Perhaps I do have limited taste Charlie but the fact of the matter is I haven't ever met anyone who knows about the station or knows anyone who knows about the station. And I know many Rice graduates and none of them claim any sort of affinity for KTRU. I'll watch closely for notice that KTRU has a new presence on the INTERNET and if they are advancing the cause of local music here in H-Town I will sing from the rooftops the value of KTRU and help promote their work. But it would be helpful if KTRU would remove the basket off their candle of light so all of us out here would at least know what KTRU is about and help us understand what all those smart people at Rice see and love about their music. :: GP aka Jerkwad

• Who the hell is listening to the radio anyway? This story needs to go away.

• Wait a sec, where are all the "free-market-defenders" and cranky straight-up jerkwads tagging this article with smug comments about how KTRU deserved this because they didn't fall over backwards trying to service the mainstream public's radio needs like every single other station on radio? Where are all the "welcome to the real world, ha ha ha!" comments totally ignoring all the benefits to our local music scene that KTRU served in favor of derision for an assumed sense of snobbery just because KTRU didn't cater specifically to the commenters' limited tastes? It just doesn't feel like an article about the KTRU situation without all those lovely people chiming in...

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