Monday, September 20, 2010
Moving Pictures WSMV Segment on Possible Sale of WRVU Broadcast License
Posted by Steve Haruch on Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 8:44 AM
Here's the report from last night's WSMV broadcast on the possible sale of WRVU's broadcast license and the fallout. If you've been following the story here on Cream, you'll already be apprised of the basic story, but it's nice to see the local TV news pick up the story.
Previously:
* Vanderbilt Student Communications Considering Moving WRVU to "Exclusively Online Programming"
* VSC Board Member: Student Listening Habits "Not the Main Motivation" For Proposed WRVU Sale
Comments (3)
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Well... a big blah to the fairly impotent WSMV piece (no offense, friendly student dj). I really can't think of anything more insulting to Vandy's students and Nashville's independent music community than how this situation has been handled by the VSC "board". This has clearly been a "let them down easy", premeditated campaign of dismantling the station as an FM licensed operation without ANY regard to maintaining the legacy of the station's influence and wattage reach to the wider community. I think it is imperative that Mayor Dean's "Counsel of Musical Musicians of Important Musicality Super Team" figure out how to back this thing. I mean... look at WSM. People stream that far and wide. When you factor in the changing policies with the FCC regarding independent radio stations, there may never be a better time to make this sort of transition. There are sponsors out there for this sort of thing. This can be community staffed for nothing- only maintenance, licensure, and legal $. Hell, there could STILL be an incentive to Vandy if the new management promised to give Vandy kids some time slots. Whatever the case, a VAST section of community and local culture will be lost to the absence of 91.1 on the dial. FOR CHRIST SAKE PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO USE FM IN THEIR CARS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. So so so insulting to anyone who grew up listening to 91.1 in their first cars.
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I'd recommend that the student leaders contact Casey Gill, the Director of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts for the Arts and Business Council of Nashville. She might be able to provide a referral for pro bono legal aid to see if there is anything about the terms of the FCC license, the charter of the VBC, or the secretiveness of the meetings that have led to this outcome that might give students some legal leverage in this fight.
She's a Vanderbilt adjunct law professor, but a musician and music lover. Even if she couldn't take this case, she may well be able to direct parties with legal standing to an attorney who can handle this.
But students, particularly Vandy undergrads, have got to take the initiative. The greater Nashville community, community DJs, faculty, and Vandy staff may not have the standing to be plaintiffs in a legal case.
If this fight is going to be won, Vandy students have to take the lead and win it. I think VBC is in the wrong, but they're not accountable to a mere listener like me... or even a famous listener like Emmylou Harris or Jack White or Cheetah Chrome, or former fans of 91 who have moved away like Steve Earle or Roseanne Cash.
I trust that Vanderbilt undergrads will fight this hard and win it, not only for themselves, but for future Vanderbilt students and for those of us whose greatest pleasure is putting on WRVU while stuck on 440 for an hour and being blown away by something we never would have heard anywhere else.
Don't give up hope. Vanderbilt can be made to back down, and the self-preservation that drives the arrogance of the professional staff of the VBC can be exposed to light and air, where it will shrivel up and die. Take charge of music in the Music City and fight this venal money grab.
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