On Thursday night, at the Progressive Student Alliance’s weekly meeting, over 80 students gathered to discuss an alternative plan for the future of WESU to present to President Doug Bennet on Sunday.
The meeting came after Bennet made clear his goal to affiliate WESU 88.1 FM with National Public Radio (NPR) member station WSHU. Bennet’s plan to broadcast WSHU for roughly half of the 88.1 airtime would generate about $50,000 a year, making WESU an economically viable station.
Jesse Sommer ’05, the WESU general manager, and Luke Snelling ’05 have spent the last three days writing the alternative proposal. According to Sommer, the proposal includes an economic plan for bringing revenue to the station without a potential ‘corporate takeover.’
The plan includes a fundraising campaign, possible underwriting contracts and alumni donations. The proceeds would go directly to funding a station manager who would supervise the station and ensure continuity and consistency in the future, a problem that both Bennet and WESU members agree exists.
“That’s the strength of Luke’s proposal,” said Nikhil Melnechuk ’07, a leading member of the Progressive Student Alliance. “We think change is necessary and we think we have a better model for it and we think President Bennet will agree.”
Also discussed in the proposal are ways to cooperate with Bennet and his desire for more educational opportunities at the WESU station, which is the second oldest college radio station in the country. They include DJ workshops as well as opportunities to broadcast lectures held at Wesleyan.
Sommer announced that WESU also hopes to work more closely with the athletic department to broadcast Wesleyan sports events as well as other programs that appeal to the student body and the two million listeners that he said could tune into 88.1.
Sommer and WESU members said they hope that the proposal will show Bennet that the Administration and WESU have similar interests.
“Bennet is not our adversary,” Sommer said. “We believe we can serve President Bennet better by serving our own interests better.
Snelling said his plan would transform WESU into a better organization that still meets all of Bennet’s goals.
”One hundred percent execution of our plan would make [WESU] one of the best college radio stations in the U.S.,“ Snelling said.
The plan does not include the affiliation with NPR, which Sommer said would bring two feeds of the exact same radio station (WSHU) to the Middletown area.
”To turn it over to an automated feed…is morally reprehensible,“ Sommer said.
WESU members also fear that an NPR presence would signify an end to the WESU philosophy of ”freeform radio,“ in which DJs can play whatever they want without any bureaucratic supervision or control. Middletown community radio programming, which has had a huge presence in the history of the station, is also seriously threatened by an affiliation with WSHU.
”Once you get into WESU, you realize it’s nothing without community members,“ Sommer explained. ”WESU is a phenomenal opportunity for people like us, the students, and members of the community.“
David Bauer, a community volunteer who hosts a show every Friday from 3 to 4 p.m., said the meeting gave students the opportunity to understand the potential of WESU and its effect on the community.
”I think it’s great the Wesleyan population is learning the true value of this radio station,“ Bauer said.
Bauer will host a show this Friday that will feature Snelling and Sommer as they discuss the future of the station.
Students like Snelling and Sommer, along with several members of the Progressive Student Alliance, are optimistic about Bennet’s willingness to work with WESU members and the community for a working solution. The Progressive Student Alliance announced a community meeting that will take place on Monday, Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and will include President Bennet, WESU members and community members.
While students are hopeful that Bennet will accept the new proposal, they admit that most of the decision-making is out of their hands.
”The fact is that [Wesleyan] owns the transmitter, the license and the building,“ Sommer said, adding that if Bennet does not agree with the proposal on Sunday, WESU will offer another one that includes NPR and still tries to represent the interests of the radio station.
Melnechuk also said that this is not the first time that students have had a tough time connecting with the Administration.
”This lack of communication involving the radio station is representative of a large trend of a lack of transparency in decision-making,“ he said.
According to Melnechuk, Bennet is willing to fix this and is interested in attending future meetings held by the Student Progressive Alliance. The group intends to meet every Thursday to discuss any issues that concern students.
”The goal is to bring issues internal and external to the table. Dialogue is such an important part of action,“ said Lindsay Underhill ’05, a leading member of the Progressive Student Alliance.
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