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KUHC now on the way

M

Mediafrog+

Brought up in another thread, but posting here so people don't miss the news.

From the FCC:

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-695A1.pdf

Had been wondering what was going on, since it had been eight months since news of the deal first broke, and over five months since the transfer application was filed with the FCC. Didn't hear any mention of the future KUHC during KUHF's fund drive this week.

The FCC letter is worth a read. Pretty much spells out what we had predicted: The FCC doesn't get involved with format disputes, is not going to force an owner to retain a station it doesn't want, and recognizes that U of H, already an owner in good standing of a broadcast station, can use that standing to show that it is qualified to own a second station.

The delusions of the "Save KTRU" crowd have finally been burst. If they want their brand of alternative radio on in Houston, they should start their own station. Plenty of basket case stations to be had.
 
Mediafrog+ said:
...The delusions of the "Save KTRU" crowd have finally been burst. If they want their brand of alternative radio on in Houston, they should start their own station...
Click to expand...

I hear they're giving away FM translators like candy!
 
This whole thing was a tempest in a teacup. This sentence from RBR's article...

http://www.rbr.com/radio/radio_deals/fcc-approves-sale-of-houston-college-fm.html

...makes it pretty clear:

  • The FCC noted that it issued a statement way back in 1976 to the effect that it did not serve the public interest to have the Commission nosing about into formats during transaction review.

I mentioned in an earlier thread, if those students are really serious, with today's technology, there are many inexpensive ways to start a radio station. The college campus environment is tailor made for easily spreading the word about the availability of a student-run, online station and how to access it at home, in a dorm or on a smart phone.

If not, than what we have is a group of complainers who won't actually back up what they protest with any effort. After the last couple of decades, it's hard to work up a lot of sympathy for college students upset about a format change or the selling of a radio station.
 
And traditional radio continues its slow suicide.

If the KTRU supporters can find alternative non broadcast methods of replacing their station, then so can UH. Take both stations off the air completely and let both UH and Rice compete on the even playing field of the internets.
 
The Chronicle finally chimes in:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/7523624.html

I suspect the current programming on 91.7 will disappear pretty quickly. Wouldn't surprise me if the station is off the air for a while so the KUHF engineers can make tweaks and changes.

Were I the Rice University administration, I would have shut it down just a soon as the sale approval was issued. I am sure they have had enough of all the whining.

I hear they're giving away FM translators like candy!
Click to expand...

Included in the KTRU deal was K218DA, the 10 watt translator on 91.5. IIRC as a stipulation of the sale, this transmitter has to be moved off the Rice campus. Curious to see where it will go. There have also been rumblings about KUHC being available on a couple of other translators: one stated as being near Katy, the other in the Kemah area. Supposedly these have been previously licensed/operational. Anyone have info on these?
 
I saw the comment about also taking KUHF off the air to internet to level the playing field. They are on the internet. Let's get to the real issue: KUHF pulls in millions of dollars a year off their product. If KTRU was pulling in just a fraction of that, I bet the sale would have not been negotiated.
 
I've been expecting KUHF to lose this deal at the FCC, because of my admittedly cynical view of Washington politics, and the way most government agencies base their decisions on partisan considerations. I really did believe the liberal dominated FCC would jump at the chance to slap conservative Texas by refusing to allow KUHF to buy KTRU.

After all, every state university regent in Texas was appointed by Rick Perry, who is a constant thorn in the collective sides of Washington. I was convinced that the FCC would show Perry who is boss by rejecting his UH regents' application to buy another radio station. That's how I was thinking, and I was wrong.

But -- it seems clear now that the Friends of KTRU were hoping the liberal FCC would rule in their favor because of their liberal political affiliations. There's no other explanation for the hopelessly amateurish and childish mishmash of complaints they lodged against the transfer.

As a former and longtime KUHF on-air employee now in retirement, I am positively delighted to be wrong on all counts. The FCC did precisely what it was supposed to do -- the right thing -- and a reading of the entire ruling shows no trace of partisanship. The transfer was approved entirely on its merits, and the commission found NO merit in any of the complaints lodged by the Save KTRU crowd. Glory hallelujah.

Now comes the real work of turning KTRU into an all classical station and KUHF into an all news station. I've known those people at KUHF for a long time, and I believe they will do those jobs very very well. Welcome to the Brave New World of public radio in Houston.
 
FilioScotia said:
Now comes the real work of turning KTRU into an all classical station and KUHF into an all news station. I've known those people at KUHF for a long time, and I believe they will do those jobs very very well. Welcome to the Brave New World of public radio in Houston.
Click to expand...

Part of that brave new world of Public Radio is creating stations that are financially viable, with contributions from individual listeners and business underwriters covering the costs.

KTRU was basically a money pit for Rice, bringing in no outside contributions, and a toy for the students to play with while having a microscopic audience. That model is no longer sustainable.

KTRU will still have the Internet stream and the KPFT HD-2 feed. If they want campus coverage they can set up a series of Part 15 transmitters (Reckling Park used to have one on 87.9 for baseball play-by-play, is that still in use?)
 
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