KCOU's future uncertain because of lack of funds

The station needs funds to replace its radio tower and move its offices.

By Amber Wade

Published Oct. 6, 2008

Although campus radio station KCOU/88.1 FM celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, the radio station's future is uncertain because of a lack of funds.

KCOU General Manager John Dobson said the station must buy and relocate a new transmitting tower or get a new power line to the tower. KCOU's tower is on top of Hudson Hall, and the building is being renovated next semester and will lose its power source.

While both scenarios would be expensive, Dobson said it would cost $30,000 to buy a new tower or $36,000 to run a new power line.

If the station buys a new tower, it would be installed on Schurz Hall.

KCOU will also be moving its radio station from downstairs Pershing to the new student center once it is complete.

Missouri Students Association adviser Farouk Aregbe said KCOU's move would cost about $168,000. That includes new equipment and furniture, which all groups that have space in the new student center are required to purchase.

Aregbe said the updates to KCOU would maintain the radio station for many years to come.

"The tower on Hudson has been up there for 30 years, so a new tower is a 30-year investment," Aregbe said.

With a plan in place, Dobson said the only problem is that the Missouri Students Association, which owns KCOU, is hesitant to "show them the money."

Aregbe said MSA has to consider its options because the KCOU update requires such a large amount of money.

"If any organization if going to spend around $200,000 or more on anything, we need to ask if it's a good investment," Aregbe said. "It's a tough decision that affects this set of students and the future students 20 years from now."

MSA Vice President Chelsea Johnson said MSA would consider KCOU's history and where the station has been, where it is now and where it wants to be. MSA Senate votes on all funding requests.

Senate Speaker Jonathan Mays said he has not yet received a funding request as of last night. If someone submits one by noon today, the bill would go through Senate committees this week and next and could be voted on by the full Senate as early as Oct. 15.

Johnson said the student interest in KCOU would also determine their decision.

"If the students advocate for it and they want their student fees spent that way, then MSA will approve the funding for KCOU," Johnson said.

KCOU Program Director Jonathan Hutcheson said KCOU has about 3,000 listeners a week, but that number only includes Columbia residents and not MU students.

With the decision still unknown, MSA members discussed the radio station's future with KCOU staff members Sept. 28.

KCOU Promotions Director Evan Jones attended the meeting and said the main objective was to help MSA realize that KCOU is heading in a different direction now.

"I understand MSA is frustrated with how KCOU has been run in the past, but the staff in place right now is the most dedicated, knowledgeable staff we've had in recent years," Jones said. "We shouldn't be penalized and held responsible for the past."

Dobson said the meeting was an enormous success in their eyes, but he doesn't know if MSA members who attended feel the same way.

Hutcheson said he was frustrated with the outcome of the meeting because MSA President Jim Kelley didn't seem to have questions, even though he was the one initially interested in meeting with the KCOU executive board.

Kelley said he waited until after the meeting to ask questions.

"The atmosphere in the room felt more like an information session than a dialogue and I wanted to gather my thoughts," Kelley said. "I definitely paid attention and valued the presentation and told that to John Dobson."

If they don't receive the funding, Dobson said KCOU staff members would no longer be able to broadcast over the radio and would have to resort to online radio.

"We would lose all credibility with the music industry if we went to online radio only," Dobson said. "Practically anyone can start an online station, so music labels wouldn't be motivated to send us their music."

Dobson said without an operating tower to broadcast a signal, KCOU would also lose its Federal Communications Commission permit because it would most likely be quickly bought up by another organization, making it unlikely to get back.

KCOU staff members are determined to make sure that doesn't happen.

Hutcheson said the KCOU executive staff decided to create savekcou.org, a Web site for supporters, which explains the situation and how to help.

KCOU also created a Facebook group that includes 414 people and has gained hundreds of members in the past few days.

Hutcheson said even after a few days, the Web site and the Facebook group have been successful.

"The response has been overwhelmingly supportive," Hutcheson said. "As people become aware of our predicament, they have come to show their support."

During a meeting Sunday night, about 75 KCOU supporters brainstormed ways to save the station. The discussion included a potential protest, a sit-in at Brady Commons and an event at Speaker's Circle on Wednesday. The KCOU executive board also encouraged supporters to call, e-mail and write letters to MSA members and MU's administration.

At the meeting, Hutcheson said it would cost 75 cents per person per semester in student fees to keep KCOU operating, which makes him think the resistance isn't about money.

"MSA has the money, but it's the fact that they don't want to spend the money on us," Hutcheson said.

Dobson said MSA may be looking for ways to cut expenses for the new student center, and in the past radio stations like KCOU are the first things to get cut.

Kelley said he has no hidden agendas and wants to work with KCOU.

"We've got to work together to make the station better," Kelley said. "I've tried to do everything I can to dispel this notion that we have an inherent bias against the program."

Kelley said he sees the matter as an opportunity, not a conflict.

"I'm still here, and I'm willing to work and work together," Kelley said. "If we can see this is going to be a good investment, we'll make it."

Johnson said she will help make the final decision about KCOU with Kelley and will ask for the guidance of the KCOU executive board and administrators.