How to Get FIred from a Community Radio Station
I know it's forbidden to smoke in the studio. I know CDs that are borrowed have to be signed out and returned in a reasonable amount of time. I assume drugs (other than alcohol) and sex are not allowed while on the air. What else does a DJ need to do to get fired? Maybe you have to raise a certain amount of money during the fund drive, though I've never heard a particular amount stated. Maybe you have to have a certain audience base, or feature a widely-appreciated musical genre. Whatever the guidelines are, I'd like to see them POSTED. I'd like to know why people who have poured decades of their time, energy, MONEY for gas and music are "fired", told one thing while other DJs are told something else, and the listening public is not told anything at all by Management. It's true that most of us resist change, but it is also true that nobody likes being lied to. So PLEASE tell future volunteer DJs what they must or must not do so nobody else is left feeling ripped off. I'm afraid the damage is already done for some of us. I have heard some underwriters won't renew their support. I know some listeners are tuning out altogether. Maybe they aren't needed! Maybe that's progress. At any rate, I hope something can be learned from all this.
In the past few days we have heard from many of you about changes at WMMT. We regret all the confusion and anxiety resulting from our written and oral communications about proposed radio schedule changes. This message aims to reassure everyone involved and clarify our plans.
In brief, these are the facts:
1. Nothing is set in stone. No final decisions have been made. Proposed changes will be presented at three meetings. The plans are subject to revision as a result of those meetings.
2. No one has been fired. Even if the proposed changes happen, it is the sincere intent of station management to offer other programming opportunities to the Pine Mountain Morning volunteers.
3. The proposed changes are not directed at any particular programmer. The proposed decisions are driven by data from Arbitron, donations, and various audience surveys. We are a community radio station, meaning we belong to the community – WMMT’s listeners.
4. The public meetings will produce new data that will be added to what we already know before the final proposed changes are completed. As Director of Appalshop, I personally insure the integrity and openness of this process.
Changes are being considered so that we can respond to the desires of our listeners and enhance financial support for WMMT while remaining true to ourselves. At this time only initial proposed changes exist; we have not even reached the final proposal yet. Everything is in play and subject to change. The Board of Directors of Appalshop, which serves as the Board of Directors of WMMT, will review the final plan and hear the concerns of those who may oppose the final proposal. Before that stage, WMMT will conduct three very meaningful public hearings. These will take place from 6:00 until 8:00 PM on Tuesday, May 20, Wednesday, May 28, and Monday, June 16 in the Appalshop Theater at 91 Madison Avenue in Whitesburg. Reactions at those meetings will directly shape the final proposal for schedule change.
Although everything remains on the table, objective data makes powerful arguments for change. Both listeners and donations drop off during the Pine Mountain Morning segments Monday through Friday. These five shows provide some of the very best radio WMMT offers, some of the finest on community radio anywhere, but do not seem to have the listening or contributing audience we would like. We have other fine shows that also do not have a strong audience. Other offerings do well on donations, but have small numbers of listeners and vice versa.
The data do suggest that WMMT’s community does like music, news, and commentary mixes during the afternoon. Ideally, we would like to create afternoon programming mixing music, public affairs, and commentary using, we hope, some of the PMM programmers. The Arbitron information on who is listening and the donations also demonstrate the strong support for old-time, bluegrass, and gospel music on WMMT.
Another factor we need to consider is that our program offerings are not consistent one day to the next. Our listeners cannot rest assured that they will hear compatible programming at the same time of day. Just look at the Noon hour. On Sunday, WMMT presents public affairs programming. Monday brings traditional music, while Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday feature bluegrass. Friday turns to classic rock, followed by Saturdays split between big band and old time. Our shows are of widely varying lengths (from thirty minutes to four hours) and start times.
All these factors have to be examined, along with the direct comments of our listeners through the public meetings and station surveys. What those changes ultimately will be will be determined by a fair, open, and fact-driven process.
Sincerely,
Art Menius
Director
Appalshop, Inc.
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