Topic 5 of 53: community radio KVRX and KOOP
Sun, Dec 15, 1996 (02:48) |
Paul Terry Walhus (terry)
Austin has a couple of community radio stations both wedded to the same
frequency (an interesting story). KOOP and KVRX are said stations and
the resident experts in this topic are Bob Nagy and Jim Ellinger. There's
a slim chance I might get one or both of these two overwhelmed-by-activity
individuals to pop some comments in here. No guarantee of anything.
5 responses total.
Topic 5 of 53 [radio]: community radio KVRX and KOOP
Response 1 of 5: Dwight (dgbaldwin) * Thu, Dec 26, 1996 (11:45) * 2 lines
What freq. and what kind of programming?
Topic 5 of 53 [radio]: community radio KVRX and KOOP
Response 2 of 5: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Thu, Dec 26, 1996 (21:45) * 13 lines
KOOP celebrated it's second year on the air last week. The enticing
Jenny Wong, station manager, is a good friend of my friend Bobs. Their
success has been beyond all expectations.
First year budget (from an article by John Herndon), was $20,000, between
$70-80,000 the second year and will be over $100,000 next year. That's
great support!
KOOP is at 91.7 FM from 9 am to 7 pm weekdays, 9 am to 10 pm weekends.
Phone: 472-KOOP.
KVRX is on from 7 pm to 9 am weekdays and 10 pm to 9 am weekends.
Phone: 495-KVRX.
Topic 5 of 53 [radio]: community radio KVRX and KOOP
Response 3 of 5: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Wed, Feb 25, 1998 (22:03) * 1 lines
Anyone listen to KOOP?
Topic 5 of 53 [radio]: community radio KVRX and KOOP
Response 4 of 5: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Fri, Feb 28, 2003 (09:51) * 12 lines
Found this. It's the tip of the iceberg.
KOOP Exodus
It's just a trickle at the moment, but the exodus continues at KOOP radio. Volunteers, fed up with the arrogant way that management does its business at the community-owned, cooperatively (well, supposedly) run station have followed former assistant station manager Ellen Stader and station engineer Jerry Chamkis (the latter of whom was barred from the station after removing his own equipment) in leaving -- or in some cases, being tossed out.
Ricardo Mendoza (formerly known as Ricardo Guerrero), host of Global Groovin', was removed from the air after protesting station management. His protest came during KOOP's recent pledge drive, when he asked listeners who agreed with him to send in "protest pledges" of $9.17 rather than the regular $30 level (the amount was intended to reflect the station's frequency, 91.7FM). Mendoza said he netted $500 in pledges. Station managment was not amused -- station manager Marcelo Tafoya suspended Mendoza, and then the KOOP board of trustees revoked his membership in the cooperative (see Mendoza's letter in "Postmarks").
Also, two members of the station's community board resigned. Michael Bluejay and Larry Beckham both turned in their resignations last week, both expressing exasperation with station management in e-mails sent out to station members. "I feel that the severe mismanagement by the '97-98 Board of Trustees is killing KOOP, but the Community Board as a whole seems to have no interest in demanding accountability from the trustees," Bluejay wrote. "Short of recalling the trustees, I'm afraid that anything the Community Board can do now will be a Band-Aid solution at best. The BoT continues to commit acts that may even be illegal if not immoral and certainly stupid as hell."
Similarly, Beckham wrote, "I do hereby resign from the KOOP Community Board. The stench of evil in this regime is overwhelming and I will not contribute to this madness any longer."
Topic 5 of 53 [radio]: community radio KVRX and KOOP
Response 5 of 5: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) * Fri, Feb 28, 2003 (09:53) * 1 lines
The truth is coming out. Bob Nagy, Jenny Wong, and Jim Ellenger, the founders of KOOP, got railroaded out by the Board's shenanigans which amounted to a coup de force. I'd love to be a bug on Jim Ellenger's wall when he shoots the breeze about this episode in his illustrious life.
radio conference 
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