Re: WJUL "Lowell SunRise"

[Aaron Read <aread@speakeasy.net>]

At 09:33 AM 10/1/2003, Mission Control wrote:
>Yes, I'm a WJUL alumn, but I'm also a radio guy. I'd give credit where 
>it's due, but... it's... so... hard... to find something good to say... 
>about this show.
>
>Mike


There's lots to be said about the IDEA behind all this....I think it's not 
a bad idea at all.  Probably even a good one.  After all, UMass Lowell 
COULD have just sold the station - probably for $5 or $10 million easily - 
like what happened to WYCM.

The show's initial quality needs work.  Even the Sun acknowledges 
that.  But many great shows get off to a rocky start...WBUR's Here & Now 
had lots of problems out of the gate...and for a while the show did 
terribly in the ratings.  But recently it seems to have found a groove of 
some renown.  I think it sounds pretty decent, if not rather good some 
days.   That's despite that I'm inclined to be critical based on my history 
with it.  :-)

I think ultimately everyone's ideals are more-or-less in the right place 
(yes, even for the so-called fatcats at the Sun) but the execution was 
rocky due to a larger than anticipated resistance from the student 
staff.   That's not to blame the students, or anyone really.   It just 
happened; I give the Sun credit for postponing as long as they did to give 
time to get ready - the show was supposed to start Sept.1st...if they'd 
done it then I rather doubt it would've sounded even as good as it did.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aaron "Bishop" Read             aread@speakeasy.net
FriedBagels Consulting          AOL-IM: readaaron
http://www.friedbagels.com      Boston, MA