RE: WJUL "Lowell SunRise"

["Bill O'Neill" <billo@shoreham.net>]

Aaron writes:

> 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.

The idea that WJUL needs this kind of show, or that the Merrimack Valley does,
is a good one.  WJUL is the broadcast service of a university that is home to a
college of: business, political science, history, engineering (of many kinds),
English, music.  This would lead one to wonder why, then, are they were ALL
overlooked from the beginning to end of the process, which results in a no-bid
five year contract with a politically-laden paper.

> The show's initial quality needs work.  Even the Sun acknowledges
> that.  But many great shows get off to a rocky start...

The elements of that show, the content, quality, service, issues, are all viable
talking points, but they are purely secondary to the fact that they are the
service provider because of what appears to be a very odd deal.

> 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.

I don't think it's about "ideals."  It's about a bad deal.  It's not about good
or bad execution.  Not the point.  The execution of this thing may be what puts
it down, in the end, but the very fact that the state college system fails to
look inward to its raison d'etre, its mission, its faculty, talent and consumers
to address the needs of its community, is just wrong.  Resources, underwriting,
and faculty leadership can work.  If I were on faculty at such a school, with a
missed opportunity for a field laboratory that a regional radio station could
reveal, I'd be miffed.

Bill O'Neill