KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2010 / NEWS
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CAMPUS
Left: Posters such as this line the walls in the new studio, replacing the manv walls of graffiti in the old studio. Right: In its new studio on the third floor of the Kansas Union, KJHK has created a more condensed music library than was in its previous studio.
KJHK settles into new home
BY KIRSTEN KWON | PHOTOS BY RYAN WAGGONER
kkwon@kansan.com | rwaggoner@kansan.com
Since May 6, KJHK has been broadcasting from its new los on the third floor of the Kansas Union. Tom Johnson, manager and program adviser said the KJHK staff is mer to find a balance between their old rock n' the Shack," and their new, cleaner home.
COMPARING THE MUSIC LIBRARIES
The music library in the new KJHK studios is lined with CD's and vinyl records, not unlike the library at the Shack.
"It's a consolidation and expansion of our previous operations," Johnson said. "The music library is a multipurpose room. It should give us plenty of space in the long term."
The room is also used as an in-studio performance space.
Two and a half years ago, the KJHK staff began a digital archiving project that has been completed and will launch in the coming months.
"Most of these CDs have been backed up on a digital format so that you can do a search that links to all of our reviews," Johnson said. "We're going to bring that online this fall."
ON THE SOUND DIFFERENCES
Along with going digital, the station now has the ability to broadcast from any of the studio's rooms.
"You couldn't do anything like that
before," Johnson said. "You basically had a couple mics somewhere else but you couldn't really just kick it over and quality-wise it wouldn't be as good."
Johnson said the KJHK staff has already received feedback from listeners on the improved sound quality.
"Listeners say it sounds huge-er. It's just as loud as any commercial station," Johnson said.
ON THE MAIN DIFFERENCES
Brand new equipment and clean
walls in the new studios replaced broken turntables and graffiti-packed doorways in the Shack. Still, Johnson said the staff planned to retrieve some pieces that had nostalgic rock history.
"We're trying to figure out what's the best way for us to bring some of our old personality into this new space because we basically started with a blank canvas," Johnson said.
One of the main differences between the Shack and the Union studios is the ability to be seen by viewers. With thousands of people passing through the Union, Johnson said the station has become more integrated into the KU community.
"You're part of something bigger rather than you're sequestered at the end of campus in a small building," Johnson said. "And a small building that albeit is extremely cool is not necessarily functional or reliable."
Wanna see more photos of KJHK's new digs? Check out kansan.com/ photos/galleries.
Wanna listen? During the summer, KJHK broadcasts from 6 to 2 a.m. daily. Their office hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.