Friday, July 9, 2010

42. Burr Beard's "Open Thought, Open Mind" Letter

Hello everyone,

My end of week email will be brief!

I am impressed and heartened by the seizure of new open process by listeners and volunteer air staff. The comments from the forum are heartfelt. The announcer's proposed renewal plan is strong and a show of commitment, a labor of love.

Please understand that the process has opened my mind, and heart.

My proposal is on the back shelf. I am looking forward to working with you on our new group proposal.

Thanks,

Burr

1 comment:

  1. Hard to know what to make of this. From a strategic point of view, it doesn't matter because the best path is for the DJs and 98% of the listeners responding on the administration's forum [hereafter "us" and "we"] is to keep working on the what we'd like to see TJU be.

    This could create a win (us) - win (UVa) - win (Burr). But we need to continue to work as if our success means that Burr loses.

    But back to happy faces and smiling unicorns.

    We could win by getting more of what we value. That could mean more music (e.g., in the overnight hours, when BBC news plays against Radio IQ) and changes to current music programing (e.g, I'd love to see RVibes stretch a bit longer, bridge over an eliminated news hour, and go into Danza Latina, which would swap spots with Sunset Road.)

    UVa could win by getting more listeners and a closer alignment of TJU with the school. I don't like the heavy repetition in the UVa Public Affairs spots at :55 and wouldn't like to see it interrupt music programs like opera

    [ Sidebar: does WUVA have a close alignment with UVa? I tuned in today to hear Ludacris bragging about the sensual prowess of his tongue. And it wasn't even 11:00 AM yet.]

    Burr could win by becoming a better radio professional and manager of people.

    I think that once a plan is agreed upon, there should be a discussion of some new investment in engineering a stronger signal (the official coverage map is so misleading) and creating a more useful website. Put our great product before more ears!

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