Eliot Circular

KRRC Signs Off

Jon Pape ’14 spins a flexi disc in the KRRC studio.
Photo by Daniel Ku ’13

Student radio goes virtual.

By Andrew Choi ’13

The antenna flew at half-mast (metaphorically speaking) on November 30, 2011, when KRRC made its last broadcast on the FM dial. The move came on the heels of a yearlong struggle that ultimately ended in KRRC’s losing its frequency (97.9) to KRNQ, a commercial alternative rock station—the third time KRRC had been bumped from its perch by a more powerful broadcaster. (Reed has since donated its license to the nonprofit grassroots group Common Frequency.)

As most alumni know, KRRC has suffered from longstanding technical and financial difficulties. Station management could not pay for the legal costs necessary to comply with FCC regulations,including basic upkeep and maintenance of the station due to fluctuating student enthusiasm.

In the end, KRRC decided to forsake the airwaves and focus on online broadcasting. “Going online is, honestly, better for the station because it will save us money and time, and will keep us from having dead space,” station manager Alexa Ross ’12 told the Quest last semester.

Although broadcasting through cyberspace seems like a leap forward for KRRC, I can’t help but feel a pang of regret that the old antenna has fallen (permanently) silent. I’ll miss the jokes about whether the equipment is working and the existential uncertainty of whether anyone could actually be listening. Still, I suppose the prospect of reaching listeners across the globe—without the hassle of federal regulations—is too tempting to resist.