Back to the Summer of '70

[Adam Blistein]

To keep myself out of trouble (mostly) in my retirement I've latched on to a community radio station in the northern suburbs of Philadelphia.  I don't yet have a regular shift, but I am cleared to be anyone's replacement.  In most cases that means subbing for people weekday afternoons when the station has a "big band/swing" format.  That format admits of a lot of interpretations, and I get to play the 20s-40s jazz that I've been listening to a lot for the last 30-40 years.  However, evenings and weekends, the station has an oldies format that admits of a variety of niches, and tomorrow (June 25) night from 7-10EDT I have one of those slots for the first time.  The first hour will sound mostly like SNDP in the mid-sixties; the last two, like BRU-FM in the Summer of '70.

Call letters are WRDV-FM, and it has four different low-power frequencies in the Philadelphia area.  Its Internet stream (WRDV.org) is pretty reliable.

Adam

[b&p]

WRDV is a fun station. I’ve encountered a few folks involved with it over the years. Unfortunately, the signal doesn’t reach as far north as Chatham, our town, and I seldom listen on the computer – but there are a couple of stations now that have asked me to listen in and one to be involved. We’ll see how that goes….

 

Good luck with the show (although I’m sure you’ll be great). We’ll be at an outdoor New Jersey Symphony Orchestra concert so I’ll probably miss most of it unfortunately. (For what it’s worth, NJSO has turned into a remarkably good orchestra, and this annual event is a local “big deal” at Giralda Farms, a former estate, now office park.)

 

Thanks for helping keep this list alive, Adam. By the way, who else is still aboard and reading these missives?

 

Paul

 

www.paulpayton.com

www.presenceproductions.com

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[Barbara Bertsch Boyd]

I am not involved with radio these days, but I read the posts.

Barbara Bertsch Boyd
President, GRREAT
Golden Retriever Rescue,Education and Training

[jhu...@mac.com]

Fantastic, Adam!  Good luck, and have fun!

[Bill Lichtenstein]

Jerry.  Didn't know you were on this listserv.  How about an update on BRU-exit?  After asking for alumni input, there's been radio silence about plans to sell WBRU's license for cash.  What can you tell us?   Thànks.   BL

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[Ginger Ignatoff]

Reading, but my responses don't usually come through to the group.  Not clear why to me -- then again I'm not that involved in radio at this point, and even my listening hours are a limited.

Ginger (Heinbockel) Ignatoff

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Ginger

[Art Norwalk]

Damn. If Adam is retired, the folks who have responded to his note are getting really old.

Sounds like a fun way to get a little way back into radio.

I sat in on part of the student/alum conference that set a course for WBRU - not - FM a few weeks ago. If they resist the temptation to simply replicate the radio station online, there are lots of exciting possibilities. 

Remember when radio was exciting?

-- Art

[jhu...@mac.com]

Hi, Bill!

I don't think that it is my place to provide any updates.  I can offer this:  There is a clear, student-led path forward.  One that reflects what current station members want and do not want (evidenced by an unambiguous, pretty overwhelming closed ballet station member vote for how best to move forward).  They are excited about their future.

Best, Jerry

On Sunday, June 25, 2017 at 9:29:58 AM UTC-4, Bill Lichtenstein wrote:

Jerry.  Didn't know you were on this listserv.  How about an update on BRU-exit?  After asking for alumni input, there's been radio silence about plans to sell WBRU's license for cash.  What can you tell us?   Thànks.   BL

On Jun 25, 2017 9:11 AM, "jhu...@mac.com" <jhu...@mac.com> wrote:

Fantastic, Adam!  Good luck, and have fun!

On Saturday, June 24, 2017 at 12:27:52 PM UTC-4, Adam Blistein wrote:

To keep myself out of trouble (mostly) in my retirement I've latched on to a community radio station in the northern suburbs of Philadelphia.  I don't yet have a regular shift, but I am cleared to be anyone's replacement.  In most cases that means subbing for people weekday afternoons when the station has a "big band/swing" format.  That format admits of a lot of interpretations, and I get to play the 20s-40s jazz that I've been listening to a lot for the last 30-40 years.  However, evenings and weekends, the station has an oldies format that admits of a variety of niches, and tomorrow (June 25) night from 7-10EDT I have one of those slots for the first time.  The first hour will sound mostly like SNDP in the mid-sixties; the last two, like BRU-FM in the Summer of '70.

Call letters are WRDV-FM, and it has four different low-power frequencies in the Philadelphia area.  Its Internet stream (WRDV.org) is pretty reliable.

Adam

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[b&p]

I know I sounds like I’m beating a dead horse, but as the new-age folks say, I think they’re giving up before the miracle happens.

 

Paul

[Don Harris]

Lou Gehrig’s disease has restricted the things I can do, but I do follow these WBRU posts.  Don Harris ‘65

 

From: wb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:wb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Ginger Ignatoff
Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2017 12:23 PM
To: wb...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Back to the Summer of '70

 

Reading, but my responses don't usually come through to the group.  Not clear why to me -- then again I'm not that involved in radio at this point, and even my listening hours are a limited.

Ginger (Heinbockel) Ignatoff

On Sat, Jun 24, 2017 at 4:35 PM, b&p <bsa...@verizon.net> wrote:

WRDV is a fun station. I’ve encountered a few folks involved with it over the years. Unfortunately, the signal doesn’t reach as far north as Chatham, our town, and I seldom listen on the computer – but there are a couple of stations now that have asked me to listen in and one to be involved. We’ll see how that goes….

 

Good luck with the show (although I’m sure you’ll be great). We’ll be at an outdoor New Jersey Symphony Orchestra concert so I’ll probably miss most of it unfortunately. (For what it’s worth, NJSO has turned into a remarkably good orchestra, and this annual event is a local “big deal” at Giralda Farms, a former estate, now office park.)

 

Thanks for helping keep this list alive, Adam. By the way, who else is still aboard and reading these missives?

 

Paul

 

www.paulpayton.com

www.presenceproductions.com

 

 

From: wb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:wb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Adam Blistein
Sent: Saturday, June 24, 2017 12:28 PM
To: WBRU
Subject: Back to the Summer of '70

 

To keep myself out of trouble (mostly) in my retirement I've latched on to a community radio station in the northern suburbs of Philadelphia.  I don't yet have a regular shift, but I am cleared to be anyone's replacement.  In most cases that means subbing for people weekday afternoons when the station has a "big band/swing" format.  That format admits of a lot of interpretations, and I get to play the 20s-40s jazz that I've been listening to a lot for the last 30-40 years.  However, evenings and weekends, the station has an oldies format that admits of a variety of niches, and tomorrow (June 25) night from 7-10EDT I have one of those slots for the first time.  The first hour will sound mostly like SNDP in the mid-sixties; the last two, like BRU-FM in the Summer of '70.

Call letters are WRDV-FM, and it has four different low-power frequencies in the Philadelphia area.  Its Internet stream (WRDV.org) is pretty reliable.

Adam

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Ginger

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[Bill Lichtenstein]

Sorry  Jerry.   I thought you were still on the board.  Given all the effort made to reach out to alumni, and the numerous statements from the board and advisers (Allen McGonagill among others) that the station has suffered because alumni are all talk and no action when it comes to helping the station, there was a sudden and continuing lack of information about where things are heading.  Whose responsibility is it to keep alumni apprised?  

Thanks and best. BL

[JEREMIAH HUBENY]

Bill,

I'm not at all sure that there is any responsibility for current station members (nor board members) to keep alumni apprised.  Interested alumni can, obviously, always chose to interact with individual students and/or board members, but, I would think, only if there is a mutual interest in doing so.

It's THEIR station - not yours, mine, nor other alumni's.  Much as it was ours to do with as we wished when we were students.  It is a student activity reflecting the interests of current students who have invested what is required to become voting station members.  But you know this.

The station is now and always has been led by students and supported by the board, not led by the board.

Jerry

Sent from my iPad Pro

[Bill Lichtenstein]

Jerry:

Somehow when we all got this email (below) it seemed the sale was not a done deal.  And that input from alumni was being sought.  Now, if what you say is true, this email was apparently baloney and the board and station doesn't care what alumni think.  Good to know.  Thanks. BL

--------------------

Dear WBRU Alumni:

 

My name is Kishanee Haththotuwegama. I am the current General Manager of WBRU, writing to you on behalf of our Station Membership.

 

I write at a pivotal moment in WBRU’s history. This past weekend, we held an official Station Membership meeting to discuss a resolution passed by the Board of Directors to begin the process of seeking a buyer for WBRU’s commercial license and assets. Despite extensive efforts to remain sustainable, we’ve reached this point due to a decade of decline in the Providence radio market compounded with national decline in standalone radio stations. Our meeting ended with a straw poll consensus that the Station Membership will stand in concurrence with the Board in authorizing the sales resolution.

 

The consensus to begin the sale process comes because we see no other viable options. We’ve arrived at this point only after exploring a wide range of financial options, yet the challenges we face are more than just financial. We’re also faced with the reality that broadcast radio may not be the most engaging content distribution technology for the student workshop in the 21st century.

 

As a refresher, the WBRU mission statement reads as follows:

 

“To prepare and challenge Brown students to lead, manage and operate a self-supporting educational workshop focused on creating and distributing, via traditional and emerging media, music-centric entertainment, news and information content to young adults.”

 

Nobody at WBRU proposes to abandon this mission. Instead, we see great potential for using the several million dollars that the sale of the broadcast license will bring to finance a new workshop. We look towards developing a workshop that will be a multi-faceted, student-directed content creation entity that continues to further our mission statement.

 

The Station Membership will vote officially on this resolution at our next meeting on March 11. We sent notice of that vote to all members late yesterday afternoon. Should the formal vote match the straw poll conducted last weekend, we expect that Station Membership will authorize the resolution to sell. We, the students, with the full support of the Board of Directors, wanted the news of the resolution to come from us.

 

Even more importantly, we want to ask for your ideas on what a new workshop might look like — one that would focus on emerging media. As students, we are reaching out to you for your support as we determine the most appropriate next step to further our mission statement. We feel the best way to develop a new, more relevant workshop is to draw on all the resources of our alumni.

If you have ideas or concrete strategies for how to best transition WBRU to a new workshop, please fill out this Google form.

The ideas you provide us will inform our decisions for how best to move forward.

 

As we look toward our next chapter, Brown University has offered to lend its assistance in the form of a line of credit — the ability to draw on these funds if needed will assist in keeping WBRU fully operational during the transition, sets us up for a successful sale process and gives us options, should new, unexpected opportunities emerge.

 

As students, we’re immensely proud of WBRU’s long legacy and the relationships built among students and alumni over many decades of operation. We continuously look to our alumni as the bridge between our experience at WBRU and the professional world, and we believe that you are an integral part of how we can move forward.

 

You can expect to hear from me again on March 11 to inform you of the results of the formal vote. If you have any questions, please email alu...@wbru.com.

 

Sincerely,

 

Kishanee Haththotuwegama '19

General Manager, WBRU-FM

[Jack Edmonston]

I have my own particular view of the WBRU situation that I thought I would pass along for whatever it's worth. 

I was one of the students involved in convincing the University to pay $25,000 for the license to broadcast on 95.5 in Providence in 1965.   (Pete Tannenwald, Les Blatt and Mike Gradison were some of the others.)  The University had no interest in having a radio station (still don't), but we convinced them that because it was a commercial license, it could be self-supporting.   They told us to set it up as a separate entity with its own governing board to avoid any liabilities (for them).

When the revenue projections we did at that time proved overly optimistic, I was one of the alumni who went to Providence and presented the administration with what we thought were good reasons to allow WBRU to keep the license by loaning it $120,o00 for equipment and operating expenses.   

The money the university invested (all of which was subsequently paid back) proved to be enough, and WBRU chose to run like any commercial station, creating a format designed to maximize audience and revenue.

Given the university's position, that was probably the best decision the students and WBRU board could have made, but I always regretted it, thinking that a college radio station should bring something to the community that was not available from commercial stations.  

So, when NPR became a viable alternative, I approached both the WBRU board and the university administration informally with an argument that operating WBRU as a non-commercial NPR affiliate would not only provide a financially viable public service, but would end Rhode Island's unfortunate status as the only state in the U.S. without a locally licensed NPR station.

I found no interest in this path at either the board or administration level (although I think the discussion may have helped WRNI to get off the ground); and since then I have stood by as commercial radio changed radically, making WBRU's situation untenable and lowering the value of the license from as much as $15 million to maybe $6 million or less today.

Terrestrial commercial radio is dying, and I don't think WBRU has much choice but to get out of that business.   They might have taken a shot at NPR, but without the support of the administration, that probably wouldn't work.  Sadly, I think the students did what they had to do, given the situation, and if Hubeny thinks they have a path to the future outlined, I believe him.

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[Bill Lichtenstein]

Thanks, Jack:

It's been said terrestrial commercial radio is dying.  I'm not sure that's true -- until recently they said newspapers were dying, and then Jeff Bezos and his novel vision proved otherwise -- but successful media endeavors these days tend to need a pairing of legacy media with new and emerging on-line digital outlets.  One without the other often falls short.  If digital is the future, why not develop it?  I note you guys didn't dump WBRU-AM when you started FM.  If it's cash that's needed for new and innovative educational workshops, Brown Broadcasting is a non-profit.  The funds could be raised.  

Here's one lesson we might want to impart to students.  If you're running a successful business that's providing a million dollars a year in revenue, and you're having an annual shortfall of $50,000, think carefully about selling the source of the overall revenue before launching into an entirely new, speculative, untested line of business.  Perhaps try it out, and if it's so good, you can move in that direction.  

And one more thought: if you're a radio station meant to be an educational workshop, and the only use for the license you will allow is for students to come in, play songs from a pre-determined list, and read pre-written copy, don't wonder why it's difficult to get students engaged.   Perhaps you need an infusion of creativity and energy.  I can think of a half dozen radio projects that would have a line of kids around the block waiting to be involved.  Don't believe me?  Ask these kids if any would like to work with Ira Glass on a new radio show.  And remember, Ira is a Brown grad. Which one of these kids is the next Ira Glass?  Radio's not dead.  Just perhaps the "radio-vision" of some involved.  

And finally, thanks to you and all for getting that loan and setting up FM.  It's been a pretty great station.  And it's turned out some pretty great broadcasters and journalists.  

[Jack Edmonston]

I just want to point out that one of the more innovative people in public radio is an hour from Providence and thinks training the next generation is very important.  Jay Allison launched WCAI in Wood Hole, MA.  You can hear him on The Moth.

[Bill Lichtenstein]

I know Jay.   Does he think radio is dead?   

BL

[Jack Edmonston]

I believe that only commercial terrestrial radio is dying.   Not public radio and other forms.  Everything changes.  No exceptions.  I worked for a periodical publisher (PC World, Computerworld, Macworld)  that is now completely digital in US.

[Bill Lichtenstein]

Is that because, as commercial revenue is receding, public radio can raise revenue in non-profit, tax-deductible donations from listeners and foundations and corporations and government, and has the freedom to do creative, innovative things?  

Sounds like WBRU, no? 

[Art Norwalk]

Bill --

The kinds of innovative content projects you suggest can flourish more readily in a fully online iteration of WBRU than in today's on-air situation for a number of reasons, imo:

• Potential for nationwide/worldwide audience
• Freedom from ratings/local ad sales/playlists
• Maintain focus on music, local news and 360
• Multiple channels for experimentation/development in both content and delivery -- a true media workshop
• Opportunity to attract students with wider skills/interests
• Expansion of career-launching potential for students
• Elimination of nearly all paid staff, reducing cost and inherent frictions
• Elimination of transmitter and other radio-associated costs
• Potential for non-advertising revenue (foundation, corporate, etc.)
• Multi-million $$ "endowment" from sale of license
• It's what the current active students want after a lot of thought, and it's their station

-- Art

[b&p]

This topic has “rented a lot of space in my head.”

 

I think as an industry, commercial radio is in an eclipse, but not a complete death spiral. Yes, SOME commercial terrestrial radio is dying, but not all. What is surviving and, in many cases, thriving is live and local radio. This is particularly true in small and large markets. Providence, of course, is in between. But allow me to cite another in-between commercial success: WKXW, Trenton, NJ, who went from being stuck between the “big dogs” of Philadelphia and New York City to proudly being “not New York, not Philadelphia – we are NEW JERSEY 101.5” and carving out its own large audience. They saw an opportunity, created a need and then fulfilled it. They did it with traffic and live and local talk (a lot of it “Jersey Boy” and “Jersey Girl” stuff, but that was the available underserved audience.) Love ‘em or hate ‘em, there’s hardly a person in NJ who doesn’t know their tag line. They had what ‘BRU has: an amorphous entity in the shadow of a major market, but a big enough signal to make a serious impact in that shadow.*

 

Yes, change is constant. The industry is changing dramatically. The trend of huge corporate consolidation is in uproar as many of the largest consolidators are flirting with bankruptcy as a result of over-extension, “under-localization” and grubby profit taking. Many stations are being spun off (or are about to be) to local owners. As a locally owned and operated entity, WBRU is already ahead in that game – plus is has the benefit of not having to nourish stockholders’ bank accounts.

 

As Jack, Jerry, Pete and many others here know, we fought settling for a non-commercial license for 13 years so that we would have the experience of doing real-world radio on a real radio station. Yes, of course NPR has become real, and to my mind, certain things about WBRU have not – like playing pre-programmed songs while reading off flash cards; that’s exactly what WBRU’s rock format was created NOT to do. No wonder students don’t want to be on the air and will pre-record their voice-tracks; heck, by the end of my radio career, I was being paid to do that and walked away from it. For the station to survive, I think this has to change. Run “the robot” overnight if one has to, but fun and satisfaction have to be part of the equation – “robot radio” is neither.

 

But let me get back to this: as Bill mentioned, part of the learning experience is running the business. WBRU shouldn’t sell its prime asset for making money. Yes, improve the net presence, but radio is wherever you are. (I’m not saying anything everyone here doesn’t already know). The station can create its own market. It has huge territorial reach over the air; exploit that. Learn business by saving one. Create special product and sell it.* Do what we did at the beginning before we had ratings: deliver audience. When I return now for reunions, I am always impressed by the creativity and depth of the students (and wonder if I was ever that smart); let them turn that creativity loose on the business side as well as programming. I don’t know if this is being done now – or how – but surrendering the prime asset that essential to the rebuilding of the station is not the way, in my opinion.  A one-time quick-fix “monetizing” feels good for the moment but then just kicks the can down the line.

 

Let me also toss another log onto this fire. We are living through one of the most volatile political periods in modern times. The urgency of Viet Nam and the political upheavals of the ‘60s and ‘70s fueled the rise of progressive FM radio and WBRU. This is a parallel period. Why give up the megaphone?? Yes, on-line is great for news, opinion and special projects, but adding on-air extends the impact.

 

I’m sorry if I rambled – it’s too easy to do that on a subject this broad. I certainly acknowledge that it is “not our station” anymore, but it is our legacy. I am also not being a Luddite; this is not buggy-whips-vs.-transportation but rather about maintaining, transforming and growing one still viable form of communication even while embracing another (cyber), and communication is the root of the discussion. Call me an idealist if you will (I’ve been called worse, and no doubt will be again) but if we agree that WBRU is backed against a wall, I see two options: concede defeat or come out fighting. Conceding defeat is, in my opinion, not the lesson that station involvement should be teaching.

 

Best to all,

Paul

 

*I don’t know if there is an equivalent option – probably not an equal one - but what New Jersey 101.5 did to distinguish itself at the beginning was create the first New Jersey-centric traffic report, broadcast it reliably every 15 minutes in rush hours, and create a “local language”: traffic is never New York- or Philly-bound but rather “leaving New Jersey.” Even some of the traffic reporters have NJ-based air names: “Tom Rivers,” for example, is a take-off on the town of Toms River. I can hear it now – “Warwick Cranston” (Byron Cranston’s brother?) with the traffic….

 

 

 

Paul Payton

Have Voice, Will Travel

VOICE-OVERS – AUDIO SERVICES FOR VIDEO

www.paulpayton.com

 

Presence Records/Paytoons, BMI

www.presenceproductions.com

ROB CARLSON & THE BENEFIT STREET BAND

THE FABULOUS DUDES 

 

 

From: wb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:wb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Jack Edmonston
Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2017 10:55 AM
To: wb...@googlegroups.com
Cc: Jerry Hubeny
Subject: Re: Back to the Summer of '70

 

I believe that only commercial terrestrial radio is dying.   Not public radio and other forms.  Everything changes.  No exceptions.  I worked for a periodical publisher (PC World, Computerworld, Macworld)  that is now completely digital in US.

[Bill Lichtenstein]

Well said Paul.  If there was a "Like* button, I would have pressed it.  

PS  With regard to the prior comments, two questions I have:

1) is there an example of a purely online broadcaster that is thriving -- and able to cut through the clutter that has been created now that it seems every person and their kid have a blog and podcast?  

2) is there an example of any digital effort that's emanated from WBRU that indicates there is an interest and ability to create online programming, especially programming that will create revenue (unless they want to live off the funds from the sale for a few years.  Then what?)

BL