ontheairdaily said:
...As to the future of the frequency, KOHM has been drooling over the 88.1 frequency for over a decade (they got close to getting it back in the late 90s). The plan I've always heard that they would execute is what bayou_city_bob was taking about. They would put NPR on one station and classical & jazz on the other.
Truthfully, I think KTXT has been on the chopping block since Dr. Clive Kinghorn left Texas Tech. It's kinda remarkable the station was able to last this long after his departure. Kinghorn was the guy defending KTXT every time Tech wanted to axe it.
Umm, wrong. Very wrong. KOHM >NEVER< "drooled" over the 88.1 frequency. EVER.
I should know.
88.1 is locked at 35kW and will never be able to increase its power due to an adjacent station in Brownfield. Why would KOHM drool over that?
KOHM is broadcasting at 70kW. KTXT would have to change frequencies in order to increase its power, but there wouldn't be any real reason to do that- there's not that much additional population that would be served. And I've seen the numbers- not much there insofar as audience is concerned. KTXT of late has not been serving the student population as much as staff there thought they were, but that's a topic for another thread.
KOHM offered a proposal to get KTXT back in 2001 because Mass Comm was ridding itself of it. Kinghorn was retiring and they were essentially focusing on new media technologies and getting out of the radio biz. I was at that meeting 7 years ago. Our idea was to put the oft-requested NPR news/talk programming on KTXT, continue to use it for student broadcast experience, and use it to generate revenue- something it never has. That meant giving up the "Alternative" format. Student Media promised that they would run it and swallow the costs to keep it a student operation "so as to preserve the opportunity for students to continue the experience that is KTXT". We warned them of the fact that no one on the Student Media staff had ANY broadcast experience, could not offer ANY guidance or expertise on FCC regulations, and would open the university to possible liability should students violate FCC regs concerning indecency and violate underwriting rules for non-comm stations.
As far as I know, it was Dr. Liz Hall that chose to move KTXT under Student Media. We didn't drool or cry about it- we presented our offer and warned upper administration that in our opinion, Student Media didn't have a clue as to how to run a radio station, but if they wanted to flush student services money down the drain on it, that was fine with us. And boy did they!
I was there.
Since KTXT was no longer an option, KOHM then investigated using HD Radio to multicast- it was/is an experimental service that allows several signals to be transmitted simultaneously all on the same frequency. We found a way to make all of that additional programming available to our listeners. KOHM has the equivalent of 4 radio stations on 89.1 FM. Since not everyone has an HD Radio, the HD2 channel was made available as an Internet stream for listeners to listen and try out. If they liked what they heard, then they could plop down the $80 to $150 to buy an HD Radio receiver.
We NEVER drooled over KTXT.
And I'm a former KTXT member too.
The comments made here and elsewhere show a very simple lack of understanding about the radio medium, non-comm operation and Student Media's failure to properly train and oversee operations at KTXT.
Yes, making KTXT all-NPR and KOHM all-classical is one possibility. That will not happen and here's why- KOHM is the stronger signal. It makes more sense to keep the revenue programming on the stronger station to serve the greater audience. And, although it pains me to write this in a public forum, the reality is that NPR programming is what's keeping the classical format afloat. Separate the two and you kill KOHM. There are also numerous other issues that would preclude NPR programming from being broadcast on KTXT- too numerous to mention here.
Suffice it to say, KOHM really doesn't have a NEED for KTXT.
And there was NO drooling over it- have I hit that point home yet?
KTXT was dumped in my lap. I don't need it, I really don't want it, and I'm not in any hurry to do anything with it. Please do not assume that means I will "save" KTXT. I do not have the space, studios, music, funding or staffing to preserve the station I first cut my broadcast teeth on. I know full well the history and legacy behind it. My friend and mentor is Dr. Clive Kinghorn. I've kept him informed.
I've met with and had lunch today with the current student GM and 2 others associated with KTXT. They got an earful from me about it.
I am more angry about this than ANYONE else, because I knew it was coming, knew what they were planning to do, voiced my objections to it and was powerless to do anything about it.
You people simply do not know the half of it.
I think KOHM has done well considering. It has operated under the same restrictions and TTU nonesense that KTXT has, yet, it is doing very well and manages to keep 5 fulltime staff and 2 student assistants gainfully employed. That KTXT wasn't able to generate more than "1% of Student Media's revenue" speaks volumes to me. And I do not blame the students. The blame lies elsewhere.
KTXT was on the chopping block when Kinghorn left. I too am amazed it lasted 7 years under Student Media.
I wasn't a very big fan of the Alternative format, but I wasn't against it either. What I am against, and so angry about myself, is how this went down and the great potential that KTXT had that was evidently squandered so.
I do not have any suggestions or recommendations as to how to "save" KTXT. I also do not think this issue is necessarily over either. TTU is very reactionary and rarely if ever proactive on anything. Make the admin angry enough and maybe they'll change things or put them back the way they were. I wouldn't bet anything on that outcome, but hey, Tech beat Texas this year so who knows?
I'm certain that 88.1 as we knew it is probably done. But that doesn't mean something better won't come out of it.
Respectfully (and spitefully) submitted,
-DG
