This past winter, Chancellor Hogan was apparently approached by Bulger's office with a request that he find ways to "utilize the University's communications outlets to their fullest extent". Realizing that we had a Class 1 FM radio station right here on campus, with the potential to reach over 2.2 million people, the solution was obvious: go after WJUL. In February, negotiations were begun between the University and the Lowell Sun newspaper to create a "morning drivetime talkshow", which would air between the hours of 5am and 10am, five days a week. We at the station were informed that these meetings were going on, and were vocal with our disapproval of a commercial enterprise, particularly one whose basic philosophy clashes with our own, being allowed into such a sketchy deal. We understood that the UMass Board of Trustees technically owned the rights to our license, but as the station itself is paid for by money collected from student fees, we felt that as the station's caretakers and partial financers for the past fifty years, we students should hold some authority regarding what we knew was best for the station, and hoped that the administration would give our opinion the credibility it deserved.

     Initially, the administration seemed interested in pacifying us, and we were promised that, if the matter were to move forward, we would be consulted for our input at every step. What's unfortunate is that we believed this, and held our breath waiting for them to call another meeting with us. However, on June 27th, news was made public that, without our consent or our knowledge, a contract between the University and the Sun had been signed, and that the process had been overseen by Dana Skinner, the head of the athletic department. His reason for involvement in the matter was apparent as soon as the next announcement was made: a satellite radio studio for the Sun to use for their show was to be built in the Tsongas arena. Skinner has since officially removed his from the project because he felt it was generating too much bad publicity for the athletics department. Additionally, the satellite studio plans have been moved to Fox Hall.

     Fox Hall is not a public building, it is a dormitory where students live. Even casting aside the ethical issues of allowing a commercial enterprise to set up shop in a housing complex, the simple fact is that Fox Hall is not equipped to properly support an audio studio, particularly not one of the "Award Winning™" caliber of broadcast that the administration claims the Sun will produce for its show. As of August 19th, 2003, the Lowell Sun has yet to begin actual construction on a studio which should require long efforts of finetuning and calibration, even after the actual framework and equipment is put in place. Yet, the projected premiere air date of their show is to be September 3rd.

     As it stands, we are searching for a way to convince the administration to nullify the existing contract, which does provide a walkaway clause, and are hoping to rally faculty and community support for the University to take advantage of that clause before this deal is pushed along any further. (the contract, as well as other information on this matter can be viewed here: www.gatehouseanchor.com)

     Needless to say, this situation is devastating not only to the radio station itself, but to the University and the UMass system and the Merrimack Valley community. WLTI/WJUL recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, during which time it has always been entirely student-run. Our honored founder, Mr Ed Bonacci even wrote a letter to the Lowell Sun's editorial columns (which was not published), as well as taking the time to speak at meetings on our behalf to the administration. At the moment, we are currently the largest college radio station in the country that is entirely student-run, as well as having a completely free-form and alternative programming schedule -- we have no required playlists, no block programming, and no mainstream content. This deal includes the creation of a faculty Radio Management position which would "oversee" us and nullify our claim to fame, and, on a less tangible note, our sense of integrity.

     WUML is not only an opportunity for students to take part in the diverse Lowell community that exists outside of their dorm rooms, but is an excellent resource to learn about radio, music, broadcast, communications, recording, business, art, engineering, politics, and many of other subjects in which the University offers programs of study. This upcoming Fall semester, we are pioneering an practicum-for-credit program in partnership with the Philosophy and Communications department. By effectively eliminating two whole time slots each day, this deal would potentially oust up to ten students from the valuable learning experience of working at a functional radio station. This is no idle claim -- WUML has alumni working in all aspects of the broadcast and music industry, including recording bands for a living, playing music professionally, building studios for other radio stations, management for major record labels, and working in National Public Radio. This is not to mention countless others in non-broadcast-associated jobs who benefit from work ethic and management skills learned at the station.

     On a broader note, the majority of our morning shows which are slated to be cut by this endeavor are ethnic and specialty shows, which each cater to a very specific community and provide content that can be found nowhere else on the dial. Even on a UML-related note, our own professionally assembled six-hour news magazine, Thinking Out Loud, which provides alternative news material from a pro-labor perspective, and is produced by one of the University's own staff members who works in the RESD department. These diverse programs are to be replaced by a self-proclaimed "nonpartisan" and "inoffensive" drivetime show, the content of which is to be devised by, and likely to be culled from the pages of the Lowell Sun, a newspaper that is not locally owned and has little direct experience in the field of radio or the public sector. Their parent company, MediaNews, is based out of Colorado, and has a recent track record of acquiring radio stations. We're worried that, despite our noncommercial designation, we may be next on their agenda, and that five hours a day is only the beginning.

     On that note, we're asking for your help.
We are still having a hard time getting the administration to take us seriously, much less allow us to use their means of communications to speak our side of the story as loudly as they can. Please let Chancellor Hogan know how outraged you are by this move, and how poorly this reflects on our University. His email address is William_Hogan@uml.edu

Thank you for your time.

-- the WUML Staff.