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| Report recommends changes for KTRU |
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by Archana Singh
In a recently completed report on KTRU 91.7 FM, Rice's student-run radio station, the president's committee on KTRU recommended that the station hire a full-time general manager and expand content to include more campus events. The committee, which is led by Mary McIntire, dean of the school of Continuing Studies, made its recom mendations after surveying undergraduates, graduates, faculty, staff and alumni. "We did quite a bit of research, because we felt we had to have a sense of the impact of KTRU on a variety of audiences," McIntire said. "We spent a lot of time designing questionnaires. It seemed as if we tried to survey everyone," she said. The report made a number of suggestions, many of which included technological changes such as redesigning KTRU facilities, simulcasting with Rice cable television channels and utilizing the Internet for broadcasting. The report also suggested hiring a general manager in addition to a part-time clerical staff member and technological support staff member. "The change that people will see is the hiring of the general manager and the engineer," Station Manager Heather Colvin said. "Those two will happen over the summer. Hopefully we'll have someone hired by spring," she said. The duties of the general manager would include assisting students with the creation and implementation of new programming, coordinating the integration of new technology, working with Public Affairs office on marketing and publicity and assisting in the training of students. The general manager would be a staff member under the Student Activities/Student Affairs wing of the administration. "The hiring process will involve KTRU students, so whoever we choose will be someone we want," Colvin said. Many alumni and students expressed concerns that the station remain student-run. "This person isn't a boss. They could be very helpful," McIntire said. The committee also recommended that KTRU broadcast 6-12 hours of "university programming," which is a broad category that includes Baker Institute events, Shepherd School concerts and lecture series. "A large percentage of [KTRU] alumni wished that they had had more training [when working at the station], that there had been better technology," McIntire said. This opinion is shared by many current KTRU DJs. "Some of us have more experience than others. [Because we broadcast] at 50,000 watts, I think we should have as much consistency as possible and try to keep mistakes to a minimum," DJ Philip Broussard said.
This item appeared in the News section of the May 16, 1997 issue. |
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