Saving College Radio - Chicago Style Print E-mail


When Loyola University got a new president a decade ago, the university was in financial trouble. The budget was bleeding and he put the college radio station on notice that it wouldnt get any more funding. That got the students motivated and they immediately started fund raising, and through a huge effort managed to come up with about a third of the stations annual budget. Then, the university decided to ban fundraising!

It got worse. It turned out the university was dealing with the huge public radio bemoth, WBEZ about taking over the whole operation. Hand wringing ensued by both the station staff and students, but as the newspaper article even said, it ended up like the final scene in Its A Wonderful Life. There had been a lot of press and all the college station listeners really went off on WBEZ and there were a few fireworks, but in the end it all worked out with WBEZ allowing the station to do its own thing and providing guidance and back up. There was a real meeting of the minds, and it ended up being a great thing for the community. Loyola radio has a real following on Chicagos north side from the ethnic shows it runs to a big alternative music scene it also provides music for. Loyola has always been a station you could listen to and not some crazy student thing that about a dozen people a night even listen to. They do funny, intelligent programming and great music and it all gives students the chance to work in a station thats professional in every way.

There have been some bad years lately for radio but LUW out of Loyola proves it can be done, and be done right!


 
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