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WMUB partnership faces more challenges
Oxford NPR affiliate seeks collaboration with Dayton stations to ease budget woes
Ben Garbarek
Issue date: 1/22/08 Section: Front Page
Efforts to revive Miami University's public radio station WMUB took a hit Friday after a top management official from a possible partner station resigned.
Paul Maassen, the general manager of WYSO in Yellow Springs, reportedly stepped down to take another position in New Orleans according to Richard Campbell, director of Miami's journalism program. Campbell said Maassen was supposed to be running the talks with WMUB regarding the potential partnership.
"Whenever there is a change in management at a station a lot of things get put on hold," said Cleve Callison, the general manager at WMUB.
WMUB is trying to forge a partnership with both WYSO and WDPR in Dayton after a committee recommendation last fall. The committee was appointed by Miami President David Hodge following a request by the station to review its financial future with the university.
"The university is looking everywhere to make cuts," said Campbell, the head of the committee. "Miami University subsidizes the station much more than most (university funded
radio stations)."
So far, the station is pleased with the committee's decision.
"(The committee) affirmed that there is a valuable place at the university for the station," Callison said. "Overall the reaction here is (we're) relieved the process is through."
Campbell said the committee looked into selling the station.
"We didn't think selling the station would bring in that much money," he said. "We're not sure what kind of value it may have (as media continues to change)."
In addition to forming a partnership with other public radio stations in the Miami Valley, the committee recommended stronger ties to the university.
"We wanted to align the station with (Miami's) academic mission," said Provost Jeffrey Herbst. "We want to involve students through classes and extracurricular activities."
This semester the journalism program has created a new senior capstone course with WMUB. Campbell said the course is designed to give these students an internship-like experience at the station before they graduate.
Paul Maassen, the general manager of WYSO in Yellow Springs, reportedly stepped down to take another position in New Orleans according to Richard Campbell, director of Miami's journalism program. Campbell said Maassen was supposed to be running the talks with WMUB regarding the potential partnership.
"Whenever there is a change in management at a station a lot of things get put on hold," said Cleve Callison, the general manager at WMUB.
WMUB is trying to forge a partnership with both WYSO and WDPR in Dayton after a committee recommendation last fall. The committee was appointed by Miami President David Hodge following a request by the station to review its financial future with the university.
"The university is looking everywhere to make cuts," said Campbell, the head of the committee. "Miami University subsidizes the station much more than most (university funded
radio stations)."
So far, the station is pleased with the committee's decision.
"(The committee) affirmed that there is a valuable place at the university for the station," Callison said. "Overall the reaction here is (we're) relieved the process is through."
Campbell said the committee looked into selling the station.
"We didn't think selling the station would bring in that much money," he said. "We're not sure what kind of value it may have (as media continues to change)."
In addition to forming a partnership with other public radio stations in the Miami Valley, the committee recommended stronger ties to the university.
"We wanted to align the station with (Miami's) academic mission," said Provost Jeffrey Herbst. "We want to involve students through classes and extracurricular activities."
This semester the journalism program has created a new senior capstone course with WMUB. Campbell said the course is designed to give these students an internship-like experience at the station before they graduate.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Carrie Kellogg
posted 1/22/08 @ 12:53 PM EST
The value of NPR/Public Media is well established. While much of our news coverage is now presented in "sound bites", NPR continues to give us the whole story behind the sensationalistic network "news". (Continued…)
Matt Bowman
posted 1/30/08 @ 9:34 PM EST
I like the capstone idea it reminds me of what WMUB used to do before Callison took over the station. I'm so happy to hear that he's "letting" students work at the station. (Continued…)
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