Navigated through a couple of pages to get to this: The WTJU Forum. Apparently I was the first respondant as well. Not sure I like the language in a couple of places. For example, under "Increasing revenue" it asks, "How could twice-yearly on-air fundraisers be more effective?" Well, for one thing, I've looked at the numbers and the way they could be more effective is by going back to the old four times yearly. The language kind of shuts that option out. But as a whole, it's pretty good, if somewhat hard to find,
So here it is guys: your direct line to the powers-that-be. Use it. Be concise, be on-point, be even, be intelligent. Tell alumni. Tell anyone you think might be interested. Publicity is, right now, on the side of the old guard.
See keeppublicradiopublic.com for information on this same battle being waged nationwide — in Austin, Boston, Seattle, Gainesville ... The bean counters are making the same arguments, using the same tactics, to homogenize your radio station. You will be assimilated into the borg. Don't drink the Kool-Aid, and don't give up the fight. You're not alone.
ReplyDeleteOf the 5 responders so far, 60% have been both donor and volunteer. One of the respondents that's left comments appears to be neither. This means that at least 3 of the 5 respondents are probably DJs because as DJs we're all donors and volunteers. That's what it's taken over the years to the old girl alive.
ReplyDeleteThis says two things to me:
- We are passionately invested in the future of WTJU
- We are indeed a closed community
We've never, ever, meant to be a closed community, and yet a confluence of events has left us that way. A public radio station funded as much by the DJs as the public. Ain't that a bitch? This might be hard to swallow but we have to face this and do something about it.
I'm chewing on it. I'm thinking on it, and I'll have more to say as the days arrive.
TJU needs more money. Not a format change. How do we thread this needle?
Senator,
ReplyDeleteI think 5 responses is a little early in the running to make such judgements.
Obviously many of the first submissions are going to be coming from DJs, as the matter is very dear to them and they're the ones who have probably been checking this blog most frequently for new information.
I think it'd be best to wait until the word of the forum spreads further and more people submit their ideas before coming to such conclusions.
On another note, I can't get "The WTJU Forum" or the WTJU website to work right now....
Sorry, I wasn't concluding, I was thinking out loud. My apologies. Shouldn't have spoken too soon.
ReplyDeleteIs the station on the air right now? I can't get it or the station web site on the internet, and no one answered the 3959 number when I called a couple of times.
ReplyDeleteI just tried to post there and couldn't get it to load!
ReplyDeleteI think the high rate of participants who are also actively involved (at this early stage) has a bit of both the closed and the open to it. On the one hand, many of the listeners either are or have been involved in the station in other ways. On the other hand, anybody who really cares about the station has been given a chance at some point to help out with it. So the other side of the coin is that few people are mere listeners. Those who care about this issue care about the station, and TJU is a station that allows anybody who cares to become part of the organization.
dear aaron, sam, and john,
ReplyDeletecville got hit by a severe storm yesterday at 4:55 (that's where the rotunda clock is stuck!) - wtju is down and so is a lot of the UVA web world. i can't get on my UVA email account, either.