Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Cream Number of WRVU Community DJs Capped at 25
Posted by D Patrick Rodgers on Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 5:02 PM
Fans of WRVU and The Best of Bread will recall our story on the Croftons' dismissal from the Vanderbilt radio station back in September. WRVU listeners may also remember questions regarding the station's future raised by both the show's dismissal and the Croftons' claims that station heads intended to pare down the number of community DJs. We were informed time and time again that The Best of Bread's removal was due solely to an equipment violation, and Director of Student Media Chris Carroll implied that there was no movement afoot to dismiss community DJs. Any such decision, Carroll informed us, would be made by the Vanderbilt Student Communications Board. Well, according to an email forwarded to the Scene, said board recently deliberated regarding the number of community DJs, and they've made a decision that will drastically affect the ratio of "non-affiliate DJs" (i.e. non-student/non-alumnus/non-staff DJs) to affiliate DJs.
Earlier this week, it came to our attention that The Mixdown, a show hosted by longtime WRVU contributor and Vanderbilt staffer John Brassil, had been temporarily suspended for an equipment violation similar to that of the Croftons. While we certainly saw this as an unfortunate bit of news, community DJs at WRVU informed us that we might want to hold off on reporting that, as something bigger might be in the pipeline regarding their tenure at the station. And today, an email was forwarded to the Scene from a community DJ wishing to remain anonymous. The email, sent from Vanderbilt student and WRVU general manager Mikil Taylor to the WRVU listserv, detailed the decisions made by the Vanderbilt Student Communications Board, or "the group who owns WRVU." From that email:
The Vanderbilt Student Communications board met yesterday and set a limit of 25 for the number of non-affiliated individuals who may participate as guest DJs at WRVU for the upcoming semester break and 2010 spring and summer schedules.The board's bylaws stipulate that participation in Vanderbilt Student Media is limited to individuals affiliated with the university. There is, however, a policy that permits the board to make an exception, allowing for a limited number of non-affiliate guest DJs. The number of non-affiliate DJs allowed to participate will come up for annual review at the start of the new academic year.
The VSC board deliberated over this decision and discussed at length its primary mission to serve Vanderbilt students and how that aligned with its appreciation for dedicated non-affiliate DJs who have contributed their time and talent to WRVU. In reviewing the ratio of non-affiliate DJs to student DJs, the board determined it would limit non-affiliate participation to approximately 25 percent. However, the practical challenges of implementing a limitation defined as a percentage of participation led the board to set a limit of 25 individuals out of the roughly 100 DJs currently at WRVU, reflecting the board's mission to preserve opportunities for students, who receive priority. During the fall 2009 semester, about 50 non-affiliate DJs participated in WRVU.
A non-affiliate DJ is defined as one who is not affiliated with the university as a current student, alumnus, faculty or staff member.
There appears to be no policy grandfathering in longtime community DJs. Thus, it looks like both experienced and brand-new DJs will be required to submit via the same application process. Our source also informed us that, as they understand it, this ruling does not mean there will be 25 slots available for community DJ-hosted shows, but rather 25 slots available for the community DJs themselves. Thus, if your show is hosted by four community DJs, that takes up four of the 25 spots rather than just one. We emailed G.M. Mikil Taylor regarding the decision, and he gave us the following response:
There has never been a guarantee for any community DJ's participation at WRVU, under the previous or current board rule. The board has always made some exceptions for participation at WRVU, unlike any other Vanderbilt student media operation, to allow for some community participation. This change only puts a cap on the number of exceptions they can make.The application process is mainly intended to give the board as much information as possible when making the decision. It won't be used to weed people out, but to choose the best shows, looking at it from many aspects, like what the show plays, how involved the DJ is at the station, and other things. No one wants to create a homogeneous WRVU sound, and I'm going to do my best to keep the highest quality and most diverse shows on WRVU. It's what makes us good.
Applications to be considered as a WRVU community DJ are located here, and they must be submitted "to the VSC administrative suite in Sarratt 135 by noon on Dec. 4."
Needless to say, this decision has raised some interesting questions. Will cutting the number of community DJs down to 25 truly increase room for student DJs? After all, there are spots currently being filled by automated programming. It doesn't appear as though students are clamoring for more spots, and they've (understandably) always had first dibs anyhow. As an extension of Vanderbilt's media department, the university is obviously entitled to run the station however they see fit. But if they cap the number of "non-affiliate" DJs drastically, removing beloved, long-running and well-received shows from their lineup, won't they be losing many members of the community as both listeners and supporters? While WRVU representatives have insisted to us that their decisions are in the interest of the students as well as the community, many non-affiliate DJs have expressed concern that they might be removed from the air simply because the station heads find the number of community members interested in hosting unmanageable.
We'll stay with this story as it develops.
Comments (108)
Showing 1-50 of 108
WRVU is about to get real shitty. The writing's on the wall. The station has no need to satisfy listeners and isn't beholden to advertising dollars, so they don't give a fuck about the community. That's a damn shame.
Nearly all of the good shows on the station are done by community DJs who do them for free and want nothing more than a platform, so it's pretty disheartening to see the disparity between how much the community appreciates them and how little the University appreciates them.
Until now, with the exception of WRVU, Vandy is a black hole of non-participation and irrelevance when it comes to Nashville's local music scene. Vandy kids don't go to shows and don't support many local bands. Their ears couldn't be further from the ground. How are we supposed to have any faith that they'll be capable of servicing the community better than the dozens of DJs they're about to throw under the bus.
like
dislike
I'd really love to see a statistical breakdown of how this is going to change things. There really aren't THAT many Automation slots based on a quick glance at the schedule (I mean, do 1am and 3am slots really even count?) but it's not possible for me to tell what is a Community DJ'ed show and what is a proper Affiliated DJ. Having 50 current Community DJ's doesn't indicate how many actual shows will be affected.
I've heard wild rumors of Lightning 100 having some new ace up their sleeve.. this might be the time for them to strike.
I'm very excited to listen to more students stumbling through PSAs, mispronouncing every other word, talking too much, overplaying the latest Pitchfork sensations, and generally sucking balls. Thanks, WRVU!
Since none of the commercial stations in Nashville give a rat's ass about local music, many local bands rely on WRVU to get their music on the airwaves.
Personally, I feel Nashville would be a sadder, grayer place without D-Funk, Liberadio, the Honky Tonk Jukebox, Hipbilly Jamboree and Nashville Jumps. None of these shows—none of 'em—could be programmed by folks without the kind of experience living on this earth for a while affords. In other words, none of these shows could be created by a college kid...no offense to college kids.
I wonder if WRFN will wind up as the winner of this situation. Their programming schedule is pretty weak right now (unless you're into left-wing talk shows) and their mission statement is all about community programming.
Can you pick them up on the average car radio?
While I agree with Hester Prynn that the loss of D-Funk, Liberadio, Honky Tonk Jukebox and Hipbilly Jamboree would be enormous, let me mention that as I am a Vanderbilt alumnus and staff member, Nashville Jumps won't be affected by this change.
As always, Vanderpuppies RULE!!!
The Republicans are purging the party of non purists, expect the same from the Vanderpuppies.
There are several avenues to pursue, including challenging the VPs at license renewal time but I'd vote for an outright buyout of the frequency from the VPs by Nashville Public Radio. Then, I'd invite WRFN to simulcast over 91.1 while selling the airtime to interested underwriters.
But that's just me.
Does this mean that the added focus on student/alum/etc. slots will mean more financial input from Vanderbilt? Doesn't most of the budget for the station come from benefits-put on by members of the community not explicitly related to Vanderbilt as students,alumni,or whatever?
Pete, i can take some solace in your status, your shows are a true community treasure and source of musical info-fyi your lesser known garage,punk,rock,rawk etc.. show is always amazing
As can be read by all the comments before me, this decision spits in the eye of the community that has made WRVU what it is today.
This decision is also planned to be enacted during the summer. Which means that this summer WRVU will be a "Spoon" playing computer.
I guess WRVU and the VSC don't care about growing and maintaining listeners.
I hope they don't do away with the Magical Mystery Show. It must be community since it is on so late. (sat morns 2am) This show is one of the weirdest and most interesting I've heard since best of bread.
please keep it vandy!
"Equipment violation" has been exposed as poppycock. The official(s) at WRVU have little respect for the community and this article has exposed THEM.
Really, what's everybody so upset about?
This is not the first time this has happened. Back in the late '80s or early '90s, there was a shooting at the station, and for a good long while, *no* community shows were permitted, unless at least one of the people involved was directly connected to the school.
It's student-run radio - it *should* be run by the students. Sure, they stumble through the PSAs and mess up segues between songs and alll the rest of it, but how else are they supposed to learn?
penny says:
"Equipment violations" have been exposed as poppycock. The official(s) at WRVU clearly have little or no respect for the community, and this article exposes THEM!
"It's student-run radio - it *should* be run by the students. Sure, they stumble through the PSAs and mess up segues between songs and alll the rest of it, but how else are they supposed to learn?"
it IS student run. the entirety of the e-staff positions are filled by undergrads, not just vanderbilt affiliates. the problem is that there is currently space for everyone. there is not an influx of undergrads who aren't able to have a show because there are too many community volunteers. ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMERS when the schedule has TONS of free slots because the undergrads all leave town. and that will become even greater of an issue if community DJs are limited in the way that's being proposed.
Maybe it would help if the community approached the VSC board with rational and respectful dialogue on how there actions will create a larger void between the school and the community it resides in and will likely also lessen the impact of having a university radio station it it's filled with static or autoprograming.
You community DJ's band together and fight back. A lot of people in this City have your backs.
Their decision seems dumb and lazy on the surface, there has to be more to it, doesn't there?
let's cut to the chase here. ever since this cat mikil took over at wrvu i've heard nothing but bad things about his management and outlook. several friends who DJ at wrvu have described him as (paraphrasing) 'a kid on a power trip'.
if i'm wrong about the following, someone please correct me...but its my understanding that there has not recently been any major gripes from student DJ's(excuse me, V.U. affiliates) regarding the 'too many community DJ's' issue. The word on the street is that this mikil dude basically went out of his way and took it upon himself to get these policies enacted. Why? who knows. in a world where GW Bush starts a war because of a talk he had with God, anything's possible. Again, these are rumors i'm hearing, not necessarily the truth. However, if this is more or less true, i find it truly disappointing that one misguided idiot in a position of power can lay waste to a community radio station's 35-plus year proud tradition as an integral part of Nashville's music scene.
Mikil, if you're reading this, you will receive a private email from me shortly regarding these issues. I am currently gathering facts from various involved parties. As someone who has performed with bands at SEVERAL benefit shows for WRVU over the years, and more importantly as a dedicated WRVU listener, I demand a candid response to my questions and grievances. I hope you will reconsider whatever grand scheme you've got concocted for our radio station. You really really really do not want to become the poster child enemy of the entire Nashville music scene.
What no one has mentioned yet is that many of us volunteer each semester to take on a trainee. So not only do we do all the on-air stuff (with nary a parking sticker for our troubles), we are also TEACHING. We are providing a very real service to the student population of VU for free. HOW is this not a win-win????
I'd also like to remind everyone that there is a WRVU benefit show at the end next thursday. Assuming this issue has not been settled, the show could be a good opportunity for WRVU listeners, community DJs, other current and former DJs, concerned members of the music scene, etc, to show up and voice their concerns about the management and new policies of OUR radio station.
Additionally, I am hoping that, in light of the recent events, the bands who are scheduled to perform at the benefit show will consider cancelling their appearances in solidarity with the dedicated community DJs who will be kicked aside as a result of WRVU's new policies.
Take your complaints DIRECTLY to the following:
Mikil Taylor, kid on power trip:
wrvugm@gmail.com
Jim Hayes, bootlicker:
jim.hayes@vanderbilt.edu
and ranking member of the VSC himself, as well as the guy Crofton quoted as wanting to eliminate all community shows:
Chris.Carroll@vanderbilt.edu
Save your REALLY nasty comments for Chris & Mikil. Without them, this wouldn't happen.
EVERYONE PLEASE READ THIS:
http://www.scpronet.com/point/9603/p09.html
Truly horrifying. We can't let this happen to WRVU. I thought evil assholes like this only existed in Capra movies. And the Cheney family.
here is some more reading material on Mr. Carroll:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WUSC-FM
http://www.wuscalumni.org/radio.html
http://www.wuscalumni.org/wusc.html
http://columbiacitypaper.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=77
Straight from the article linked at the top from the Best of Bread incident..
"Carroll says there is no movement afoot to remove community DJs. "Nobody's getting rid of community DJs," he told the Scene in a lengthy conversation. "
Chris Carroll is also the man behind the decision to cut down community DJs that DJs were told to email with questions instead of Mikil, since he has more information.
Please remind him of those previous words at every opportunity, apparently he doesn't have much of a memory.
2010 - The Summer of DJ Hal.
WRVU would have no summer schedule if it weren't for community DJs. And as someone pointed out, I've heard several DJ's who I know are community volunteers having trainees with them.
This is a terrible, short sighted decision, and it's going to bite them in the ass.
I think a 50/50 split of student and community DJs is perfectly reasonable. We live in a music Mecca, and the experience our community DJs bring to WRVU is very valuable! As a Nashvillian for 12 years and a VU alum, I'm yet again embarrassed by this ongoing situation. I'm proud of our school but let's be honest: the majority of undergrads don't make much of an effort to be a part of the community beyond 2nd Ave or Demonbreun. I ask all other alumni who read this to please join me in expressing our grave concerns to the station manager. I've been involved at 91 for the past 10 years and I can't see how this policy will improve the station in any way.
Too bad the people who actually have taste and talent are being kicked out when it's so obvious how much the station needs them.
We'll see how Mikil, Jim, and Chris feel in a year when no one listens to wrvu anymore.
Tell your friends to skip this benefit... the only way to make these assholes listen is to compromise their budgets.
Oh yeah, it's funny how Vandy students DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
I feel a need to put my two cents in. First of all, congrats to Pete for his "immune" status on getting yanked off of WRVU. Nashville Jumps is an institution and I'm sure will remain so. Unfortunately for me, (and quite a few others)I am a dreaded "community" person who has been very thankful for 3 semesters of fun and the ability to play some face melting garage rock and punk. I do this for the love of music, so I don't feel right submitting an application which will have to be approved by a Board of Directors. The whole thing is ridiculous and has nothing to do with the spirit of radio (no, not the Rush song). Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, I'm going to enjoy the rest of this semester, but I will be one of the 25 community outcasts that is not going to submit an application. Hopefully, I will find another radio home. I am very grateful for the time I've had on WRVU and I wish a great future for the station.
"Vandy kids don't go to shows and don't support many local bands. Their ears couldn't be further from the ground"
I got hurt feelings.
While this isn't the real matter at hand, I'd just like to ask that these sweeping generalizations be restrained. There is a handful of students and alumnae/alumni that actually give a damn about (real) music and don't fit in with the frat boys & sorority girls & the neuroscientists. WRVU is our safe-haven.
Of course, there aren't that many of us, and there is PLENTY of room for (more than 25) community members to show interested students--and the Nashville community--that there's more to college radio than Beck & Belle and Sebastian.
"You really really really do not want to become the poster child enemy of the entire Nashville music scene."
he (mikil taylor) already is.
also, a member of the HEADLINING BAND at the WRVU BENEFIT SHOW is a currently training community dj, unless he has some vandy affiliation i don't know about. the headlining band for the benefit. and there's a probable chance that he won't ever get to be anything but a trainee because of this new policy. how fucked up is that?
Regarding Hipbilly Jamboree, doesn't DJ Anton have a Vanderbilt affiliation?
But all in all, a repulsive scheme. Every few years, some dumb shit kid gets the GM or program director slot. But Mikel has topped them all with this idiotic idea.
91 is one of the few Vanderbilt institutions where the community and the university interact. (I can name another: VU Police dragnets on West End and 21st. Nice work, Vandy!)
Question: why would anyone unaffiliated with Vanderbilt go to the WRVU benefit? Staying way the hell away from it (that goes for bands, too), might be a solid way to send a message.
Anyone who follows the links Luke posted will see that Mikil doesn't appear to be the main problem as far as drastic formatting changes go. Read those links.
Also, regarding the benefit: Will boycotting the show, in your opinion, send a message to the VSC board and other station administrators responsible for this decision? Do you honestly think they'll have any idea how poorly attended the show was? Not going to that show wouldn't send a message to the brass, because the brass doesn't appear to care. The real people to suffer from low attendance would be the bands and other folks who have nothing to do with this decision.
Alert the media! Alert the media! Negative publicity is a powerful tool. More powerful than the other tools involved? Only time will tell.
I agree with what D. Patrick and several others are saying.
It is unlikely that the news boycotting this event would even make it to Chris Carroll. If it does, he almost certainly will not care.
Don't make the bands suffer based on an unsettled decision of a few people.
There is talk of a petition being circulated at the show that would allow several key figures in the Nashville musical community to sit down with the VSC and discuss this decision further.
Please read the following information regarding Chris Carroll.
The 1995 shutdown
In 1995, WUSC was shut down and its executive staff fired. The incident came after Chris Carroll, who was USC's Director of Student Media at the time, levied several allegations against the station, such as the station's license being "flagged" by the FCC for revocation because of the airing of a song by the band Pansy Division, as well as several secondary violations. (The staff later learned that this, among several other allegations by Carroll, was unfounded.)
Several members of the WUSC executive staff responded by publicly criticizing Carroll and the University administration through WUSC, The Daily Gamecock student newspaper and other local media outlets. As a result, the executive staff was removed by University President John Palms, and the station was operated solely by Carroll.
The station remained off the air for a brief period before resuming under new leadership and DJs selected by the Board of Student Publications. (A few DJs returned to the station from before, but many were either not invited to return or left in protest.) Before the new executive staff was selected, the DJs were allowed to play what they wanted, resulting in Top 40 music being aired on the station. However, once in power, the new staff returned to the prior music policy. But the damage had been done, and the station was also dropped as a reporter to CMJ, which charts college radio airplay.
Since Carroll's departure in 1997, the station has moved back towards its alternative/underground format, which had the station listed in some music journals as one of the top five college stations in the United States.
Vanderbilt Student Communications is an independent nonprofit that is not technically a Vanderbilt University entity, though it is housed at Vanderbilt. There might be some recourse for questioning its actions via its advisory board. Pith in the Wind's Bruce Barry was once on that board, I believe. Perhaps he has some insight to share?
Thanks for the support from various folks and the shout outs for the Hipbilly Jamboree. Cowboy Anton did have affiliation, but he was "Music City USA" not that Hipbilly Jamboree (we're the rowdier cuzzin'). Anton has now moved to Memphis, so he is no longer on the air. Kels and I (Randy) are both community volunteers. So we'll see what happens.
There is currently an attempt to organize the DJs to meet with Chris so hopefully we will have our say, for what it's worth. The other voice that needs to be heard is that of the listeners. There was a purge of community DJs several years back and it was the public that changed the decision.
A simple petition would show numbers and would be great if anyone knows how to organize something that could potentially have thousands of signatures. The other thing is to simply let Chris, Mikil & Jim know how you feel. I know there's a lot of crap being thrown around here because that's how blogs work. But let them know that you're genuinely concerned about the station that's part of your every day life and maybe they'll realize they've made a mistake.
Those emails again are
Mikil Taylor
wrvugm@gmail.com
Jim Hayes
jim.hayes@vanderbilt.edu
Chris Carroll
Chris.Carroll@vanderbilt.edu
"Hipbilly Jamboree"
Of course. My apologies. You guys have an awesome show. I will be e-mailing the above contacts to get this decision rescinded.
I've sent my e-mail to the 3 but I'd also like contact info for the Board members. Let's go up a notch and communicate the concerns to them.
I'm also going to reach out to the Vandy Alums I know that feed the machine and ask them to inquire as well.
Also, I mean no harm to the bands playing the benefit or to Bruce and the End but raising money for a radio station that doesn't give that support back is not something that should happen. Really need to send that message strong or it dilutes the whole thing.
Just my 2 cents
And not that I would expect anything less from Cream readers, but keeping the emails intelligently written, well-reasoned, and as devoid of "go fu@k yourelf"s as possible (while still retaining and expressing the obvious emotion of your case) would probably take the message alot further...I think...okay, maybe one "go fu@k yourself"...but at the end...after you've made your points...and not all uppercase.
Sorry, but protesting WRVU by not going to a benefit is useless. Nobody goes to the benefits anyway.
Unfortunately, it seems as if these fuckheads' decisions will stand. There's no money to be lost, so there's no reason for them to change their minds. Just the truth.
I’m writing here as a voting member of the VSC Board that decided on Tuesday of this week to cap the number of non-affiliated DJs at 25 for the coming semester. I am a Professor of English at Vanderbilt and have lived in Nashville for 15 years. I understand some of the rancor and anger expressed by some of the posters here: change can be difficult, and obviously some of them do not stand to benefit from the change. And I also believe in the value of open exchange about Vanderbilt issues that bear on the wider community, so I’m going weigh in here on a few points.
1. The email description of the board’s extensive and prolonged deliberations offered by station manager Mikil Taylor is entirely accurate. The decision was not taken lightly, and it was the occasion of a good deal of debate. Speaking for myself as a board member, I am confident that this was a sound decision, and it was one made by the voting members of the board. Mikil is not a voting member of the board, nor is Chris Carroll, both of whom come in for some pretty nasty personal abuse by some of the posters here. If you want a new target, I’m happy to engage here, and if you prefer less public debate, you may email me at mark.wollaeger@vanderbilt.edu
2. No one can seriously doubt whether the VSC Board has the right to cap the number of non-affiliated DJs, or to eliminate them entirely. The question is whether our decision was itself right. I believe it was. The primary mission of the station is to provide an opportunity for Vanderbilt students to learn how to be DJs. Does this mean that when push comes to shove that the training priority is more important than gaining new listeners and pleasing those already out there? To my mind, yes, absolutely. That said, I am confident that the station can continue to provide an enjoyable, diverse set of programs to the Nashville community. I’ll add as well that, after trying things this way, if the board decides that we made the wrong decision, we can always change it in the future. But the decision stands for coming semester and summer.
3. Is there sufficient interest among Vanderbilt students to fill in the slots that will open up when the number of non-affiliated DJs is capped? We think so. Around 25 new DJs are in training now. Again, if that proves not to be the case, the board can decide to change the number.
4. The VSC board thinks of the non-affiliated DJs as guest DJs. No non-affiliated DJ, regardless of how many years that DJ has been on the air, is entitled to a show. Does that mean that seasoned DJs with a proven track and shows that contribute to the diversity of the station’s offerings will be arbitrarily thrown off the air? No. The station manager and the board takes seriously the responsibility of running the station.
5. A secondary but important consideration bearing on the decision to institute an application process: our liability as a board that runs an independent non-profit organization. The board is legally responsible for everything that goes on at the station. Currently some 50 non-affiliated DJs have access to the facilities, and in many cases all we know about the DJs is their names. An application process will at least give us information about who is being invited into the station. Regardless of the number of non-affiliated DJs – and I will add here again that that number will be revisited every year – we need to know who the DJs are.
6. Finally, during our discussions no one on the board ever showed any disrespect for non-affiliated DJs. (And I myself like the board’s language of “non-affiliated” instead of “community” because as someone who has lived and worked in Nashville for a long time, I use “community” to refer to everyone within broadcast range, regardless of their affiliation.) I wish I could say the same about all the posts here. (And yes, ryan, I am one of the “fuckheads” who made the decision to cap non-affiliates. How you doin’ today?) If you think that student board members do not look at this blog, you are mistaken. Civil exchange can accomplish a lot, and we welcome it. Much of the personal abuse and contempt heaped here on young people trying to do their jobs well is pretty shameful. How many posters out there ever tried running an organization half composed of people more twice their age? Not easy. Mikil seems to me to be an admirable young man who is worthy of respect.
As a former Vanderbilt student DJ, it's really disheartening to hear that many of you feel that in order to support our community DJs, you have to throw us under the bus. I'm sorry to hear that you find shows like "Penguin Parade", "The Kitchen Sink", "Between Pop and Pretense", and my own, "Antennas to Heaven" to be shitty and to suck balls, to paraphrase your own wording. These are all shows put on by Vanderbilt affiliates.
We student DJs support our community DJs, and it needs to be said that many of us (if not most of us) support Mikil as well. If you don't work at the station, watch who you are bashing. He's done a lot of fantastic things for our station, and there's a lot of ignorant insults being flung at the wrong people for the wrong reasons.
Please Nashville, your rants and angry emails are not helping anyone. I'm really hurt that I put four years into a station and a community that apparently doesn't see a need to support its STUDENT DJs as well. We never saw it as a "them" v. "us" situation, and apparently many of you do. This is one WRVU DJ who is very, very hurt that we students are so readily brushed off as not worthwhile to the station.
Mark, thank you for being a clear voice. The things you said definitely need to be haerd.
Annie Weisner
"Antennas to Heaven"
on air Dec 05-July 09
http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/6851
This article from last year says that VSC is is "governed by a board of directors composed of three faculty members and five students." (The comments are interesting for their similarity to this conversation.) Internet sleuthing turns up Bruce Barry of Pith in the Wind (and professor at Vanderbilt) as chair of the board. Kevin Leander, also a professor at Vanderbilt, seems to be the second faculty board member. As of 2007, Prof. Sybril Bennett from Belmont was on the board. Student members of the board are listed at http://vscmedia.org/student_leaders.html.
Can we keep talking about Cowboy Anton?
I've got to say that I find none of this very surprising: the bashing of Vandy students' level of taste, the community dj-cap (I'm looking at you 2k4), the whole bit. I do however take the position that station quality is a higher value than the student training, or, rather, that an equilibrium should be sought. If affiliated-person training is the ultimate goal, why not merely simulate the whole deejay-ing process, kinda like a driver's ed for broadcasting, and skip the hassle of meeting FCC regulations?
I admit that last bit's a little disingenuous, but there's long been an ambivalence on the part of WRVU administration re: "community djs" which has clashed with the supposed consensus of the Nashville music cognoscenti. I side with the latter.
Gonna agree with Annie, ultimately I think it's pretty lazy to assert that vandy students' shows are all lame: there are almost as many exceptions (Music City USA, Penguin Parade, anything Courtney Wilder does) as there are examples to prove this rule.
Throwing my $.02 into the blogosphere,
Maureen
1/2 of 91 Magnolia, 2002-2007ish
"The question is whether our decision was itself right. I believe it was. The primary mission of the station is to provide an opportunity for Vanderbilt students to learn how to be DJs. Does this mean that when push comes to shove that the training priority is more important than gaining new listeners and pleasing those already out there? To my mind, yes, absolutely. That said, I am confident that the station can continue to provide an enjoyable, diverse set of programs to the Nashville community. I’ll add as well that, after trying things this way, if the board decides that we made the wrong decision, we can always change it in the future. But the decision stands for coming semester and summer."
Mark Wollaeger, how does allowing community DJs to fill slots that student DJs don't want interfere with the primary mission "to provide an opportunity for Vanderbilt students to learn how to be DJs"? How do community DJs, who participate in training students to be DJs, interfere with the "training priority"? Your certainty that "the station can continue to provide an enjoyable, diverse set of programs to the Nashville community" is at least true for the members of the board, who will be handpicking the COMMUNITY DJs who get to stay on the air. And if we're going to argue semantics, "non-affiliates" is a nice, depersonalizing way of making those you are now excluding seem less significant. Finally (well not really), reducing the number of community DJs to 25 in the summertime seems a concrete indicator that the board does not understand how WRVU works--or doesn't care about serving its listeners (please see #3 of your mission statement), who will now be listening to the same 100 songs over and over all summer as DJ Hal fills the airwaves with his affiliated nonpersonality. That's a great lesson for the kids!
And finally, Annie, students are always number one at WRVU, as they should be. Sorry you're hurt that no one's rushing to support the people the entire system is already supporting! I am not discounting student DJs. But some powerful people are discounting community DJs, and the Vanderbilt community (again, please refer to the VSC mission statement) will be the poorer for it.
Sincerely,
Ashley Crownover
WRVU listener since 1984
Vanderbilt staff member, 2003 to present
WRVU DJ, 2005-? (probably 2009 at this rate)
Set Records to Stun, Fridays from 6-8 a.m.
Mark -
VU students seeking air time had priority over non-affiliated jockeys before this rule was instated. it seems superfluous and rigid.
"Annie, students are always number one at WRVU, as they should be. Sorry you're hurt that no one's rushing to support the people the entire system is already supporting!"
I'm not hurt that no one's rushing to support us. I'm hurt that we're getting bashed in people's attempts to support you:
"Vandy is a black hole of non-participation and irrelevance when it comes to Nashville's local music scene. Vandy kids don't go to shows and don't support many local bands. Their ears couldn't be further from the ground."
"I'm very excited to listen to more students stumbling through PSAs, mispronouncing every other word, talking too much, overplaying the latest Pitchfork sensations, and generally sucking balls."
"Too bad the people who actually have taste and talent are being kicked out"
These are taken from above comments. I didn't think that supporting the community DJs meant bashing the student DJs. It hurts me as someone who has also given a lot to the station to know that some of our listeners feel this way.
Thanks for the calm and actually giving us some information towards the board's decision Mark.
Hopefully the meeting of DJs with the higher-ups can accomplish something, as I just can't understand that there isn't a million better ways to address the issues you raised without imposing an arbitrary number limit on Community DJs. (Even that makes no sense, at least make it 25 shows, not 25 DJs)
Students already have first priority on shows and timeslots, community DJs are not affecting them in any way. For anything that is affected, hopefully some of the ideas being thrown around the Staff List can be heard, as they make far more sense. Speaking as a Community DJ, we can and do accept students having first dibs, and the need for more information on Community DJs is fair as well, we know if we don't follow the rules we are the first to go.
But don't take that out on the Community DJs as a whole.
Thanks to the music community for giving this attention, it's great to hear so many people passionate about keeping WRVU great, and hopefully we can come to a conclusion that makes a bit more sense for all involved and get back to rocking Nashville.
...and come out to the benefit. A good show from the community as a whole and having a place to talk about their opinions while giving support to the station as a whole is a helluva lot more important than sitting it out in protest. Keep being heard, hoping a face-to-face actually happens and we get a chance to fight for all our community DJs.
As for any us vs. them between community and student DJs. That is something I can honestly say I've NEVER felt or heard of withing WRVU. Apparently the only people who think there is such a thing, are the ones making the decisions out of nowhere to make huge cuts to the Communitys DJs where, as quoted above, it was promised just months ago, there were no plans to do. To sum it up perfectly, I'll quote Josh's email:
"this is a poor solution to a problem I have not been convinced existed."
Don't you guys know better than to take internet comments personally? It's the faceless internet. People just react passionately in such ways, and it shows how much people actually care about WRVU. Dirt off the shoulder.
And no...not all of the student shows suck. But it isn't the student shows who are at risk of being dumped for possibly a full year. This isn't about student DJs vs. Community DJs. People just don't want their Hipbilly Jamboree or D-Funk taken away.
Wollaeger's longwinded statement makes no sense, and implies that student DJs aren't getting trained up enough, when there are plenty of HAL slots on schedule. The ruling was pointless. How is a community cap in the summer help student djs when 90% of them AREN'T FREAKIN' AROUND?!
Community DJs should never take precedent over students at a college radio station. But the thing is they DON'T take precedent. Nor do they think they should. Community DJs understand the needs of students, but its the Community passions that are (for no reason) put onto the line.
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