Alyssa Wejebe
After starting in the 60s and 70s, only to be disbanded in the 80s, KPCR is back at Pierce College—but this time as the first online radio station on campus.
Today the launch party celebrated the first live KPCR broadcast in Village 8213, though not without initial glitches.
“We’re having some technical difficulties now,” said Student Program Director Natalie Yemenidjian.
Yemenidjian explained the radio station’s mission statement.
“We put community first,” she said.
Yemenidjian said that they would focus specifically on the “identity of the San Fernando Valley.” She said that the area has a lot of arts and culture that isn’t being heard, leaving an unfilled niche in media coverage.
Yemenidjian emphasized the importance of the San Fernando Valley and its people.
“We’re big, we’re movers, we’re shakers,” she said.
Yemenidjian said that the first KPCR broadcast would include an introduction to the San Fernando Valley.
However, she said it would still jump straight into the issues, starting with a discussion of the Brown Act, or the open meeting laws. According to Yemenidjian, the Pierce College Council hasn’t really been following the Brown Act.
Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh, vice president of academic affairs, said this was a “momentous occasion.”
He praised the expansion of the student voice.
Jeff Favre, media arts faculty adviser to KPCR, talked about the future progression of the radio station. (Amara Aguilar is another media arts faculty adviser for KPCR.)
“Growth will be slow, but it’s all gonna be word-of-mouth,” he said. “We’re starting from zero, that’s the thing.”
He said that good programming that entertains students will compel them to spread the word.
Favre said that there will be shows from professors included in KPCR.
“One teacher’s gonna do classic rock,” he said.
Favre said there will be a food review show.
He said that the show schedule with descriptions should be up soon.
He hopes that school will play KPCR in the Freudian Sip.
He said there will be a loop of music, and five-minute news briefs.
Favre said that due to working with public radio ethics, there will normally be no swearing on the air.
Favre said that some students will have live shows, while others will have recorded shows.
Jose Luis Fernandez, Dean of Career and Technical Education at Pierce College, secured grant funding for KPCR with help from Chito Cajayon, dean of the Los Angeles Community College District Economic and Workforce Development, and Marvin Martinez, vice chancellor of LACCD’s Economic and Workforce Development.
The grant was worth $99,000.
“We brought the money to make it work,” said Fernandez. “We want to prepare the students with skills for today and tomorrow, always.”
Siamak Kalhor was a technical consultant from Cyberset Corporation working with KPCR.
Cyberset developed software for KPCR programming and administration.
Kalhor spoke of his company’s credentials.
“We’ve done a lot of Internet radio, so we have a lot of experience,” he said. “This is one of the best Internet radio systems in the world.”
Yemenidjian said KPCR will stream online 24/7 and that it will have guest shows.
She called working on KPCR a “kind of culmination” of her media arts education.
“I definitely wouldn’t have this opportunity at a 4-year university, no way, no how,” said Yemenidjian.
According to Yemenidjian, tomorrow KPCR will speak with CSUN professor Kenneth Ng about his involvement with a Thai sex website.
To work on the radio station, students have to register in Broadcasting 10.
More information can be found at http://kpcradio.com/.