Capstone Research Project
College Radio Thrives and Dies on Technology, Finances
Since 2010, college radio stations have undergone an insurgence of closures and buyouts. Dozens of radio stations closed doors due to changes in technology, rising costs of web initiatives and the ever increasing cost of industry equipment. With so many college radio stations closing, many are wondering what the future of college radio will be, or what it will take to survive this industry shift.
Jason Samuel, general manager of 91.1 The globe, a college radio station out of Goshen College in Goshen, Ind., says college radio can be operated very differently than professional radio; and therefore, face different challenges.
Technology Shifts in College Radio
“It’s you, the turntables and vinyl.”
As recently as the 1980s, being a radio DJ meant searching through stacks of records, choosing the right sound, queuing up a turntable and pinpointing that sweet starting spot. But since the introduction of the Internet, radio has shifted from turntables to laptops, especially at the college level.
According to former music DJ Brock Read, today’s college radio stations have an advantage when it comes to choosing music. Read suggests modern DJs can use sites like iTunes, Amazon, BitTorrent hub, or even blogs to find old music. “Honestly, there’s no reason for students to go searching through the vinyl stacks when they can put everything on their laptops in a matter of minutes,” says Read.
Today, college radio makes up 11% of radio stations nationwide, says Tim Wall, Professor of Radio and Popular Music at the Birmingham School of Media. Wall says that of those 11%, the stations adding web initiatives to the mix are the ones surviving the changing state of college radio.
“Radio in general has been forced to accept that it offers a rather archaic format in the digital age,” say former collegiate DJ Jeremiah Wade. Wade believes college stations with an online presence and web streaming are more likely to maintain listeners than those who simply play music over the airwaves.
According to Gary Trust, Associate Director at Billboard Magazine, 88.5 KCSN out of California State University Northridge has created a successful system where over 30 students contribute to the radio production. However, a majority of these students are not just DJs, but serve in other roles as well, including social networking, business and marketing roles. Trust suggests the implementation of web and marketing initiatives effectively allows KCSN to thrive as a college radio station.
On a smaller scale, 91.1 The Globe out of Goshen College has used web initiatives and other forms of digital media to reach a limited audience.
The convergence of media is something we need to pay attention to no matter what,” says station manager Jason Samuel, who suggests radio listeners today are looking for several different media forms. “College radio stations that provide webcasts, podcasts, video stories and photos are more likely to bring in today’s listeners.”
Unfortunately, not all college stations can afford to add webcasts or other media elements, which leads to a struggle in maintaining listenership. According to the New York Times, as early as 2008, Texas Tech University closed radio station doors, stating they could not keep up with new technology trends.
Trust says in the digital age, web initiatives, apps and streaming radio are more effective in maintaining listeners than only providing a radio airwave. A particular radio station is not present everywhere, but with today’s media, stations can now be heard anywhere. Samuel adds that his radio station can be heard anywhere in the United States with the TuneIn app.
“Technology is, and always has been, the force that changes broadcasting. We are focused far more on the Web and other digital technologies than we were even five years ago. Radio is now a moveable medium,” says Trust.
The Financial Woes of College Radio
Between 2006 and 2010, college radio saw a rise in fees, specifically for web services and sound equipment, says Dan Carnevale, a journalist for the Chronicle of Higher Education. These added costs are causing many college radio stations to sell out, or close, in order to save money.
The New York Times confirms that as early as 2010, Rice University made the decision to close their radio station in order to halt high prices imposed on their institutions. The Times continues to say that Vanderbilt University’s radio station decided to sell out, bringing in a dose of cash for the college to use in other places, or on other programs.
The Times implies that Rice and Vanderbilt ignited a nationwide trend that led to dozens of college radio stations ceasing production or selling shop.
“Finances are supremely influential within all facets of college programs and radio communications is no different,” says college radio financier David Zehr.
Zehr suggests college stations might be more susceptible to financial woes than professional radio stations, because most institutions struggle to produce enough cash flow for necessary fees and updating expensive industry equipment.
According to the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS), starting a new radio station can cost anywhere between $20,000 and $200,000, depending on the type of station. IBS says the most popular station set-up contains both a student and a transmission mode, and costs an average of $163,945 to start up.
Samuel suggests the largest problem facing college radio is institutional finances, or money issues facing the college itself. He says colleges are easily giving up their yearly radio station fees in order to break their financial crunch.
“The institutions themselves are facing operational challenges or have to figure out how to pay long term debt and a radio station is a quick infusion of cash,” says Samuel.
Merger Network adds that if sold as is, most college radio stations bring in $100,000 – $1 million for AM stations and $120,000 – $5 million for FM stations.
Overcoming the Obstacles of College Radio
Despite changing technologies, budget crunches and the closing of numerous college radio stations, statistics show that college radio isn’t losing listeners. And these listeners continue to tune in for numerous reasons, whether it’s about finding new music, making community connections, or hearing something local.
“People are paying attention to college radio, even if audience totals aren’t always robust,” says Trust.
College radio stations are known for playing a variety of different music; in particular, music that cannot be heard on other “pop” stations. Bram Teitelman, current managing editor at metalinsider.net, and contributing writer to Billboard Magazine, says variety is what will help college stations remain valuable.
Wade suggests the average radio listener today turns to college radio when searching for new music. “More people are looking to college stations to be ‘tastemakers,’ says Wade. “He or she is searching for new sounds and content, rather than the antiquated offerings on oldies, classic rock and new rock stations.”
Teitelman says college radio has the ability to play small label records, as well as music that is “weird” and “forgotten.”
(Jason Samuel Photo)
In fact, Teitelman says college radio is the place where bands first make a radio appearance. In the 1980s and 90s, popular bands such as R.E.M. and Nirvana both had their albums first played on college radio stations, and later would be picked up by larger stations.
College radio continues to take on a similar role. Samuel says he receives thousands of new CDs and music download links a year that need sifted through. “We’ve played bands that have gotten regionally and nationally known. we played them here first,” says Samuel.
“Decades later, college radio maintains its schizophrenic nature. It’s not radio in the sense that countless student-fun stations don’t boast audiences that stretch much further than their campus limits. DJs are learning their craft. Mistakes air. It is radio in the sense that students gain skills in the art and philosophies of broadcasting: music, selection, news, sports and public service production, copywriting, promotion and more,” says Trust.