Radio station KTXT-FM supporters continue to fight for the revival of the student-run radio station despite the Texas Tech Student Media Department's resolve to follow through with the decision to pull the plug.
Those who support the movement to put the station back on air plan to rally from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today between the Student Union Building and the University Library. The rally will include bands such as One Wolf, Thrift Store Cowboys and spoken-word artist Paul Bullock.
"This is an incredible learning tool and a piece of Texas Tech and the community," said Blake "Wombat" Porter, the former station manager. "KTXT has been around for those 47 years of Lubbock centennially. It's valuable to this community and Texas Tech. It's Texas Tech's loud speaker."
The department took the student-run station off the air Dec. 2, citing high maintenance costs and an evolving media industry as its primary reasons for closing the radio station in a December statement.
Susan Peterson, student media director, said the decision to eliminate KTXT-FM was a hard but necessary decision.
"What we are looking to do is converge print and broadcast," she said. "And we can offer more without radio."
Peterson said the department examines student media as a whole every year and decides if any changes are necessary to improve the opportunities available to students. Last semester changes included switching the focus from a radio station to a converged broadcast department that focuses on Web broadcasting.
Streamed music with disc jockey segments may be part of the new direction, she said, but a student-run radio station will not return.
"You have to make some tough choices," said Jan Childress, associate vice president for student affairs at Tech. "Media changes are just everywhere. Look at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, the New York Times. Things are changing everywhere. I don't think it's unusual to make some changes in media."
Childress said the Division of Student Affairs has "no plans to put KTXT in it's current format back on the air."
Michael McDermott, a local alumni supporter of the station, said he promotes the reinstatement of the student-run radio station because of nostalgia.
"Blood, sweat and tears went into the place," he said. "I'm still in touch with most of the staff I worked with, even though it's been 20 years."
He said he believes many of the problems arose by the execution of KTXT-FM's shutdown.
"I don't think anyone would be having a problem with shutting down KTXT if they had told people 6 months ahead of time," McDermott said.
Porter said the station's executive staff of students received no warning prior to the announcement during the department's weekly management meeting, which took place several minutes before the station stopped broadcasting.
Despite administrative roadblocks, Porter said he remains hopeful. He estimates the movement to put KTXT-FM back on the air has about 5,000 supporters.
"Chances are getting high. The support has been incredible," Porter said. "I'm eager to see how many people we recruit after the rally. This meeting in January seems promising and we could very well have KTXT back very soon."
However, student media's director disagrees.
"It's been a great ride," Peterson said, "but the ride is over."
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