“To accept the ends is to condone the means. Thus, one cannot claim simultaneously that the sale of the KTRU signal was justifiable but that the administration’s secrecy was not. Endorsing the sale of KTRU based on the proposed improvements it would provide would send the administration a message that its actions – including its willful circumvention of student opinion – are acceptable. In a response e-mail, President Leebron directed us to ‘hold [the administration] to [its] word that this is not a precedent.’ We propose a better option. Do not sanction the sale to begin with.”

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“Personally, I’m beyond the arguments of Arbitrons versus educational value. It’s not 1976 anymore. The world we run in these days is one in which public and community radio depend on listener data, period. But in the same non-1976 world, leadership takes steps to correct ratings problems before shuttering stations. If nothing was done to correct the declining Arbitrons, why bring it up?”

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“I was also pleased to see that a number of people affiliated with University of Houston are also opposing the sale by showing up at rallies, organizing Facebook groups and speaking in favor of student radio at Rice University. A columnist at the University of Houston paper even pointed out that the arrival of a second radio station on campus won’t benefit students at either institution.”

“In an interesting twist, the folks at Save KTRU are reporting that fans of public radio and classical music (who have been happy to hear of University of Houston’s plans to expand the public radio network with this purchase) in Houston will actually be disappointed by the proposals on the table for the new all-classical station on KTRU’s current spot on the dial. Apparently the broadcast range for the new classical station will be much smaller than the existing classical station on KUHF. So who wins?”

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“Shocking though this deal’s shameful genesis is, what’s worse is the proposed sale’s fundamental divergence from the best interests of the students, alumni and the greater Houston community.”

“We call on the University of Houston and Rice University to stop this sale, and maintain KTRU in its existing form as a student-run radio station at its rightful place, 91.7 on the FM dial.”

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View the photos here >

“Darwin’s Finches summed it up at the end of their show-capping performance: ‘If KTRU goes off the air, we won’t eat.’ It was just one of many statements made in support of the storied radio station that started off in a dorm room some 43 years ago, and we’re certain it won’t be the last.”

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“KTRU supporters are not opposing change for opposition sake. People are truly worried about the future of KTRU, and are demanding answers. Alas, most of the information seems to come from the Houston Press. How can anyone support a change about which they know nothing? Rice needs to justify this sale. “

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“Primo Houston poster artist Uncle Charlie has also printed up a batch of ‘Save KTRU’ posters, which…will be available for free at Sig’s Lagoon – remember, it’s in the ‘Wallpaper’ block of buildings across Winbern Street from the Continental Club now – starting Wednesday.”

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“What will UH get out of this deal, other than a $9.5 million bill for a station and tower? In essence, KUHF 88.7 FM will switch to an all-news format and KTRU will be known as KUHC and broadcast the art scene and classical music. So in essence, nothing new. No jazz or alternative music station, no UH student broadcasting, nothing that KUHF wasn’t already giving us. Just a radio station looping NPR every 24 hours and a sister station broadcasting what KUHF had been broadcasting all along, sans news.”

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“Sunday afternoon brought blazing temperatures and a heated protest on the Rice University campus. Around 300 students, faculty and community members gathered in front of the William Marsh Rice statue in the university’s academic quadrangle to protest the sale of KTRU, the student-run radio station, to UH.”

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“KTRU was the driving force that would eventually propel me through six years and two college degrees. My best lifelong friends are all people I met at KTRU. And together we learned about music, about business, about media and promotions and organization and scheduling and budgeting. We learned how to deal with people, how to compromise and reach consensus.”

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View all of the photos on the Houston Press website >

View Sunday’s protest on the rtv5 website.

“As an internet-only broadcaster KTRU would be one of thousands of options and available only to those with constant access to a computer. New music producers with limited budgets would be unlikely to supply KTRU with access to their music for free because KTRU would lack a unique position the market.”

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“The loss of KTRU would be a real tragedy for Houston. Free Press documents a pitiful history of media consolidation happening today, including the proposed NBC/Comcast merger that will affect many communities. On the noncommercial media side, classical radio station WCAL and listeners’ failed fight against Minnesota Public Radio to halt MPR from taking over the local highlight area worries over public radio groups silencing smaller stations. However, such public concern hasn’t stopped the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to push for greater consolidation, to the detriment of the public interest.”

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