SAU Radio WJKN Spring Arbor to go Soft AC/Talk and Teaching

[xmusicmatt]

From http://www.hisair.net/news1.htm:

"SAU Radio's WJKN/Spring Arbor, MI (89.3 The Vibe) will be stunting next Monday and Tuesday with birds chirping and then flip on Wednesday with a new station called 89.3 “The Message” that will be a soft AC/talk and teaching format."

Bummer, this station was CHRish during the day and Christian Rock/Hiphop at nights. This was once their student ran station but I wouldnt think there would be much student involvement in running soft ac and preaching.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

20 years ago it was WSAE, and a pretty good CCM station. The thing is, WUFN was there, a very conservative talker with a format similar to what they are describing for WJKN. There isn't room in the market for two of those - I pity the students at WSAE who are losing their station. WAYK 88.3 K-Zoo might me DX'able - 88.5 in Jackson is pretty low power. I wonder if the dorms at Spring Arbor allow outdoor antennas to sprout up? I bet the sales of GE Superadios have a spike in Spring Arbor ---

 

[duke_fan]

Having worked for a university owned station before I can respect what must be going on behind the scenes there. Keep in mind that even though a radio station is university owned doesn't mean it doesn't have to cover the expenses. I can't see a CHR working in that small of market. Also, they are the ones who also do the home fm format of the blended music. I logged onto the university's website and found the press release http://www.arbor.edu/news.aspx?id=38358

I would think that the students there would be on board with homefm given it's format.

 

[jegrant]

HOMEfm is still Mainstream AC, though. It's not really for college students.
Perhaps they can listen online to WaYfm, or another Christian CHR.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

I would think that the students there would be on board with homefm given it's format.

Dream on: "OK students, you are having too much stinkin' fun - time to take your spiritual medicine and we are cracking down on that evil Christian rock music. Now everybody dutifully get spiritual and listen to the great hymns and teaching shows we think you ought to hear."

NOT HAPPENING. The kids won't DX - they will listen to secular, and the spiritual consequences of this BAD decision will be manifest in the lives of the students.

I stood in a lecture hall at Spring Arbor College 20 years ago - drafted at the last minute to talk to the kids because their regular speaker bailed. They wanted me because I founded an AFA chapter in nearby Jackson. My speech was on the spiritual benefits of Christian radio vs. secular radio. I was going to encourage them to listen to WSAE - it was their station with programming appropriate for kids. But mid-way through the presentation - a kid got up and was livid "you are not going to get us to listen to that awful WUFN!!!" The kid had heard me promote the AFA on WUFN - and assumed I was going to try to persuade them that CCM was wrong. I corrected THAT misconception very quickly!

Now, Spring Arbor College is going to re-make their station in the image of WUFN. Sad for the kids. Really sad. I hope the college is ready for an epidemic of bad rebellious attitudes, drinking, and pregnancies - all courtesy of the kids being forced to secular stations where such activities are promoted instead of a Christ centered lifestyle.

 

[duke_fan]

WOW... You're saying that the kids there will rebel because they changed the radio station?

Why does a university owned radio station have to target the students? There are plenty of radio stations owned by colleges throughout the country who target an older audience. NPR is a great example of a format found on many college campuses. If we want to take the Christian university route there is Columbia International University who owns and operates WMHK that is an AC station that doesn't target students. There are plenty of others as well.

I took a listen to homefm last night and they certainly aren't playing hymns and teaching shows. You might want to double check your information.

In a perfect world it would be nice to have something for students but there have been many CHR stations change in the last few years due to lack of money coming in the door. I'm sure it all comes down to the different missions and purposes of what the colleges view their radio stations playing. The one I worked for just cared about the bottom line. I know this isn't always the case but I'm sure it is in a lot of situations.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

WOW... You're saying that the kids there will rebel because they changed the radio station?

I took a listen to homefm last night and they certainly aren't playing hymns and teaching shows. You might want to double check your information.

No, I am saying that in a vaccuum created by the lack of a station targeting their demographic, the majority will give up on Christian radio, and the influence of hip-hip and other secular stations will begin to work its way into their walk with the Lord, and the negative consequences of long term listening to secular filth will become more and more manifest in their lives.

I wasn't the one who reported the change. I just added my opinion, based on years of observation of youth in youth groups. You can tell the ones who are selective in what media they select, vs. those who go along with the crowd and listen to secular music, watch anything on TV and go to any movie.

RIP - WSAE. My donations were well placed at the time. Yet another station effective at reaching young people - destroyed by people who have no vision for the future of the church, which is the kids.

 

[anotherguyTN]

Perhaps the students SHOULD rebel to some extent. Not to the point of giving up on Christian music and falling away from the faith, but perhaps they should have been more vocal and let the university know that they don't like the change. Unfortunately with the change in place it may be too late. :-\

 

[justalurker]

Why does a university owned radio station have to target the students?

It depends on why they have a radio station ...
If they have a station as an investment "to serve the community" there may be no student involvement at all.
If they have a station as part of a professional program it probably won't target students.
If they have a student station as a toy then it will be an eclectic what the students want.

University owned radio stations run the entire range - and I've seen varying levels of professionalism regardless of the reason why the station exists or the target audience. My favorite pairing is when a university has two stations professionally operated, one for the community and one for the students. Not easy to do on licensed frequencies (especially in communities with limited frequencies available).

One Michigan example (secular) is Western Michigan. When I was there the "community" station was run by the communications department. It was operated from behind a windowless door. From the outside it could have been the entrance to the furnace room. But they also had the "student" station that played non-top 40 music (songs were dropped immediately when they hit top 40) and other programming. Professionally operated by students for students. Either of those stations would be good on a resume for getting the next job ... one better than the other, but in their case both good.

Then there are the universities who own it but let the kiddies play ... I'd be embarrassed to list one of those on a professional resume. There is nothing wrong with serving the community instead of the students - it all depends on why they have the station.

 

[jegrant]

My thought is that the university in this case already has Christian/Secular Hybrid AC Home.fm (which doesn't play long form talk and teaching, outside of a once daily "Focus on the Family"). Home.fm has a slightly better signal on the commercial band, plus a bunch of translators dotting the area.

The students used to have 89.3, with its lower wattage and single transmitter, to at least serve their demographic on campus with positive messages and music.

Is there any reason 89.3 should have to make money on its own, by itself? Why can't it just serve the student body? If it was costing too much to run the way it was, I think it would have been a great idea to become part of the Michigan-based WaYfm network, and perhaps just let students host their own shows on a volunteer basis, simulcasting with WaYfm the remainder of the time.

 

[rbrucecarter5]

Is there any reason 89.3 should have to make money on its own, by itself? Why can't it just serve the student body? If it

I don't think it is about the college wanting a station that serves the student body. If so, the format would be appropriate for students. My guess is that a tiny minority of students did something to PO the administrators at SAU, so they decided to punish the entire student body for it by destroying their station. Perhaps, they should show love and empathy for their own student body, instead of being concerned with their own power and authority and their own musical and programming tastes. If I were a student at their University, I would not be served by the dull, boring format they have decided to saddle the students with. And I would DX clean Christian radio or stream it. I would not listen to the stuff they are programming now. I suspect the vast majority of students will not be as adament about Christian music only - and will simply choose secular music. The world will definitely oblige with a broad selection of perverted lyrics and evil products in commercials.