Working at KTRU was by far one of the most exciting parts of my latter two years as a Rice undergrad. I applied to be a DJ almost on a whim, and, not knowing much about ‘weird’ music, I was slightly surprised to be offered a slot. KTRU truly expanded my idea of what music programming can be; why not play a song with cats meowing, followed by local punk, followed by classic jazz, followed by Rajasthani wedding music…ad infinitum. In this era of Clear Channel and converging media, it is incredible that there is a terrestrial radio station playing Japanese avant-garde classical music and cicadas chirping, local singer-songwriters and French MCs, guitars from Chad and drums from Martel. One of KTRU’s most impressive facets is its lovingly-built collection of reviews for DJs to refer to– every single record or CD is annotated by a current or previous DJ. Through this system, DJs can experiment and educate by playing music they may not be familiar with. If KTRU becomes online-only, artists and labels will stop sending material to the station, and the impressive, ever-evolving library will become frozen in August 2010.

KTRU has also had a profound effect on my life as a musician (though perhaps that word should be in quotes). It was their Battle of the Bands that inspired two friends and I to finally pick up our instruments and make some music. Much to our surprise (and to the surprise of many listening, no doubt) we won the contest, and got to play KTRU’s outdoor show before hundreds of Houstonians, still one of the most exihilarating moments of my young life. We recorded a CD and it got played on KTRU. I am hard-pressed to think of another radio station that would have played our homespun, heartfelt, but thoroughly unpolished music, but that’s what KTRU does– endlessly supports the community around it. I had the chance to participate in the Battle of the Bands the year after that, too, and both years I was amazed by the diversity and passion expressed through the music other Rice students had to offer. A diminished KTRU would mean that these opportunities would be diminished.

KTRU gave me the ability to feel empowered through music both as a purveyor and a creator, and I know it’s done the same for countless other students. I live in Boston now– a city with a stronger cultural reputation than Houston– and there is nonetheless no radio station here that even comes close to the eclecticism of KTRU. Losing KTRU is a loss for students and the non-student DJs who contribute so much to the station, a stark loss for the people of Houston, and even a loss for society at large, where so few comparable institutions exist.

KTRU has always stood by Rice, so let’s show that Rice stands by KTRU. To KTRU be true.

Josh Levin, Will Rice College ’09
KTRU dj ’08-09