General discussion

You're not alone in protesting format changes. This is happening all over the country, as the unholy alliance between NPR and iBiquity (aka iNiquity, the proprietor of HD technology) is muscling in on stations nationwide. See, for example, the Facebook page for Austin protestors (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=112566211435) and their website, saveKUTaustin.com. See also the site for Boston protestors over the changes at WGBH (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=ts&gid=201481030324).

Is there any positive news for those of us who miss the former format?
Every day now when I listen to WUFT while commuting (unless I get so disgusted that I play a cd), I hear multiple audio clips from people who state how delighted they are with the new all talk/ schmalk format.
Of course I never hear any sound bites from the frustrated masses who miss the music genres that were previously played.

Are there any developments?

Well, I was informed today that Paul Gordon responded to my letter. I am actually pretty impressed that he took the time to do so. It is an interesting response. I am actually glad to see they still have plans on the table to expand student involvement; hopefully "they" deliver on that continued promise. The numbers he provides of 25% increase in student involvement is rather silly: students involved in classes that are required to contribute to the newsroom are not volunteers or student workers. The station is still down from the level of student involvement in the past.

I have received word that when pledge drive starts this [edit]Tuesday[/edit] that several things will be happening:

1. There will be a cut in live pledging
2. WUFT-FM did not attempt to find volunteers
3. Many of your calls will be answered by some type of call center (how much did this cost???)
4. Pledge drive will be happening without some fimiliar faces/voices: Henri, Bill, Steve, Kevin, Eleni, Wink and Brenda.

No word on if pledging will be happening on HD2.

EDIT: just changed to reflect that the pledge drive is starting Tuesday.

COPY OF EMAIL SENT TO PROF. WRIGHT

Dear Professor Wright:

In the more than 12 years that I have lived in Gainesville, both my home and car radios have never been set to any station other than WUFT-FM. Although my wife and I were very upset with the announced dropping of all classical music, I felt I had to listen to WUFT-FM for several weeks to really judge the affect this change would have on me.

At a faculty meeting I attended on Tuesday, Dean Wright presented the following Powerpoint to explain
the rationale behind his decision to reorganize the stations. It is now abundantly clear that there is no
longer a public broadcasting station. This merging of radio and TV entities will surely jeopardize UF's ability
to retain its PBS license. Perhaps someone with more experience in this area can weigh in?

Here is the latest notice sent to faculty and staff in the College of Journalism regarding the changes to the station.

Dear Colleagues,

As I announced June 1 in my presentation about the broadcast station restructuring process, the new organizational structure includes the position of executive director of the newly formed Division of Multimedia Properties. We are in the process of beginning a national search to fill that position.

We need a source for HD receivers. I was lucky enough to buy a car radio so equipped at hhregg's opening, but they don't have them anymore. Best Buy has a table-model, but it costs about $100.

Several courses of action have been suggested for our group to pursue. Obviously, not everyone will want to pursue every suggestion so, my idea is to create forums for people to visit --one for each course of action that has thus far been discussed. If you can think of others, please start a new forum for it. I'm thinking that people who are naturally attracted to individual strategies will begin to organize themselves in the forums, pursue them and report on progresses or obstacles encountered.