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Opinion
Tuesday, March 27, 2001
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Perspective
Changes at KJHK threaten station's spirit, personality
For comments, contact Chris Borniger or Nathan Willis at 864-4924 or opinion@kansan.com
This year, KJHK has been making some significant policy and technological changes. The changes have been deemed as modern, positive and necessary by station leaders. Many DJs are behind this movement of change. However, some DJs at KJHK, such as myself, have concerns about preserving the spirit of the station amid the fox of change.
Some of these changes are positive. However, a few of these changes are unsettling — namely, the ones nudging the station into a professional commercial radio mold.
Concern No.1: On the surface, technological advances are cosmetically enhancing the interior of our station. We are loading music from our CDs and LPs onto a computer database system. This was an inevitable change.
I fear this would make DJs lazy. The loaded music for DJs is akin to drive-thrus and remote controls for Americans. We need to continue to refer to the physical albums for information that hasn't been loaded for lack of memory space
Sheri Martin columnist
opinion@kansan.com
— band members, publication dates, etc.
However, I certainly don't suggest that the threat of sloth, the most eager of the seven deadly sins to
Concern No. 2: Recently, DJs have been encouraged to work on sounding smooth on air. Some professional DJ hand-me-downs include:
1. "No 'umm'ing. Don't sound so sarcastic." Do people really prefer overexcited DJs to who speak normally? How do you explain the listenership of National Public Radio stations?
hitch a ride with technology, should coax us into stenation. Suggest caution.
2. A euphemism: No "airing dirty laundry." This means never talk bad about the station. If the equipment is janky, don't apologize or complain, just pretend it didn't happen. This seems so serious. What is so precious about KJJHK's reputation? What's wrong with a little wry humor now and again?
Overall, KJHK should be shaping up into a polished, orderly, professional and streamlined regime. Words that come to my mind are dulled, diluted and restricted.
3. No technological jargon. Don't say "rotation" on air. It apparently confuses and alienates listeners. Maybe we should try appealing to people with larger vocabularies?
Concern No. 3: After a poll sponsored by the School of Journalism, KJHK has decided DJs need to entice more listeners, so we added a popular rotation (excuse the jargon). I agree that some formerly blacklisted artists should be restored to KJHK airwaves. I think that because it's good music and it doesn't get airplay on other stations, not because it will increase ratings.
I believe KJHK DJs have a responsibility to play quality, innovative music that doesn't airplay on popular stations. To different DJs that means different tunes. All I ask is that we follow this ideal sincerely — let it send us where it will. KJHK shouldn't overlap the popular radio sector; the public already has many opportunities to hear Top 40. The beauty of KJHK is its financial independence and purity. It isn't a slave to the ratings. Ratings constrict creativity and innovation when they must be maximized to achieve advertisement goals.
Freedom in radioland is rare. Commercial DJs don't get to choose the music they play or exude their musical expertise on air. It is a business they must play a song list engineered under big-boy radio-label executives. They must exude a polished and professional persona. That persona is inconceivably excited and happy, seemingly impervious to or unaware of the wide spectrum of emotions one can choose from in the United States.
We may be poor, but we have autonomy. I suppose I echo the sentiments of Whitney Houston when I say we've got respect and you can't take that away from us. We are financed by the University, so we have the room for creativity. We have had few binding limits (at least formally). I fear that the cost of streamlining and becoming professional is less individual discretion for each DJ and this equates to less variety for the rabble of rebel radio.
You've got the power; you're KJHK's audience. The freshman, sophomores and juniors (as well as first-year seniors) are the new generation of DJs and listeners. Remain conscious; be aware.
Martin is a Topeka senior in creative writing and Italian. She is host of The Lawnchair Revue Saturday mornings on KJHK.
Chan Lowe/TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
By the Numbers
19 Percent increase in women's literacy rates worldwide from 1970 to 2000.
29 Number of countries in the world without daily newspapers.
Number of years it would take the average Bangladeshi to make enough money to buy a personal computer.
Percent increase in men's literacy rates worldwide during the same period
Number of countries in the world without their own television broadcasting service.
Number of months it would take the average American to do the same
Source: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Perspective
Team cuts unfortunate but necessary in long run
ver since Athletics Director Bob
Ever since Athletics Director Bob Frederick decided to cut the men's swimming and tennis teams, every other person on campus has decided to put in their two cents' worth. All of a sudden, everyone is rattling off numbers and figures about the Athletics Department's budget. Everyone thinks they have a solution and everyone thinks they know how to run a successful athletics program. Well, I have news for you: You don't
For some reason, the issue of Frederick cutting the men's swimming and tennis teams has turned into "vilify the devil Frederick and the football team."
Numbers and people aside, there is nothing or no one to blame for this event except capitalism and money. Sadly, NCAA sports have become a business in which profit is as much of a priority as the sports and the athletes
Eric Borja
columnist
opinion@kansan.com
themselves. It is sad that college sports have ended up this way.
College sports once were a haven for amateur athletes to develop and show off their skills. Jim Brown and Kansas's own Jim Ryun were sports icons even before graduating from college. College sports were about participation, winning and that one shining moment. Now, it's about pleasing the alumni, getting TV network contracts and sponsorship.
from the time I was 8 years old through high school. I hold both sports close to my heart. But honestly, here at Kansas, I could really care less. I am not happy the teams got cut, but if it is truly necessary, by all means, let them go.
We live in a world and marketplace where survival of the fittest is the ultimate law. To make it in this world, you are going to have to step on some toes and make hard sacrifices. That's exactly what Frederick had to do — make sacrifices. I respect and support his decision. I support it because if he tells me if it is for the improvement of the athletics program as a whole, then I believe him. It is a shame, however, that he had to cut two of the classiest and underappreciated programs.
I participated on swimming and tennis teams
To tell you the truth, I would rather they cut the swimming and tennis teams to make our athletics programs stronger — particularly the football program.
You know why? Because I went to every home football game and to the game at Mizzou. I have been to one swim meet and no tennis matches. Football can bring a campus and community together. Win or lose, football gives us something to talk about. When the football team loses, we care. Whether the swimming and tennis team wins or loses, it gets a brief in the newspaper and no one mentions it at all.
Football is a high-profile sport that brings a lot of attention to the University. I and many others get excited to watch Kansas play, whether we are expected to win or lose. People tailgate and plan days around going to football games. I don't know many people who have tailgated or have even cared whether the swimming and tennis teams win or lose.
Granted, the football team has been not-so-spectacular on and off the field the last few years, but I am still going to stick up for them and the Athletics Department because I am proud to attend Kansas and I trust the men in the luxury boxes are doing the right thing.
So I encourage all of you who are against the cutting of the swimming and tennis programs to get out there and fight what you think is right. But stop placing all the blame on the football team and Frederick. Just because swimming and tennis are nonrevenue sports, it does not make them any less important than any other sport. It just happens that we cannot support them financially anymore.
Borja is a Springfield, Mo., sophomore in journalism.
I encourage everyone who supports the cutting of the teams — as I do — to remain loyal to Kansas, Bob Frederick and the sports that still remain.
Editorial
Note to Senate candidates: Keep it clean
Eliminating foul play from Student Senate elections would boost voter turnout.
Because of the history of campaign violations that accompanies past student Senate elections, there is a good way for the coalitions running for Senate this year to set themselves apart: Run clean campaigns.
This year the VOICE coalition is claiming to be a new coalition, not just a recycled version of coalitions from past years that went by different names. Delta Force, which has existed for five years, has never been convicted of a campaign violation
In 1998, both Delta Force and Campus Cause had posters that were visible from the Mrs. E's polling site and were warned to take them down within one hour. Delta Force complied. Campus Cause did not and received a fine.
The Unite coalition committed the most greedy campaign violations in 1997. It was fined $1,200 for violations from illegal campaigning in Gertrude Sellars Pearson Hall to violating spending limits, which no longer exist. The problems ran so rampant that the elections commissioner that year quit in disgust.
Last year, four students associated with the United Students coalition stole about 9,000 copies of the University Daily Kansan. Two of those students were candidates who withdrew after they were caught.
Despite protests to the contrary, many people believe that the VOICE coalition is a retread of United Students. Changing the political atmosphere for this election would be a step in the right direction in distinguishing the coalition.
The voter turnout in Student Senate elections is a perennial concern. The portrayal of candidates as students who are campaigning only to fatten their resumes and willing to play dirty does not help increase turnout. Campaigns mired with allegations will likely lead to even fewer student voters. A more positive atmosphere could only boost turnout, which should be a primary goal of all Student Senate candidates.
The task at hand this election season is simple: Work hard and play fair. Everyone is aware of the rules, and adhering to them would be a step toward strengthening student representation at the University.
Emily Haverkamp for the editorial board
Free for all callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. The Kanans reserves the right to edit submissions, and not all of them will be published. Slainderon statements will not be printed. For more comments, visit www.kanan.com.
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I would just like to say that my Alternative Spring Break trip to Georgia was unbelievable.
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Let's look at the bright side of the NCAA tournament: Chenowith is gone.
Walton: Goodbye CBS. Hello Illinois assistant coach.
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You are really talented if you can fit your whole fish in your mouth at one time. Go ahead. Try it. I know you want to.
If the Blacks want to have a good protest, maybe they should get about 1,000 copies of the Kansan and have a big bonfire on the chancellor's roof.
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Am I the only one here who didn't think KU would go to the Final Four or the Championship game? The rest of you people who did need to buy a brain.
Drew, don't leave. Going up against guys like Rasheed Wallace and Chris Weber and Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan is going to be a lot harder than going up against some of the puds that go to Oklahoma. I suggest you stick around.
I'm living my life vicariously through Crystal Hudson. Winning The Price is Right has been my childhood dream. Good work, Crystal.
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Oh yeah? I went back to Topeka and saw six mullets in one family gathering. Beat that.
I was curious: Did anyone notice that the KU flag in front of Strong Hall is upside down? What is that about?
Sex is fun. Sex is great. Sex is better than masturbating.
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I just got back from my Alternative Spring Break trip, and I just wanted to say that it's crucial that everyone goes. It's huge.
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Illinois has a good football team. Too bad they choked.
How do you wipe? Front to back or back to front?
Sleeping's the bomb.
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My politics teacher sounds a lot like Tom Hanks.
So, how was your break?
If you like the forest so much, why don't you go live there and leave the consumer-driven people alone?
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