March 24, 2005

Differing views presented at forum on WYSO’s status

By Diane Chiddister

More than 70 Yellow Springers and Miami Valley residents packed the WYSO Public Radio performance space on Tuesday, March 15, during the station’s first public forum since WYSO became embroiled in controversial programming and personnel changes.

Many longtime WYSO supporters took the opportunity to voice their concerns and frustrations to the Antioch University Vice Chancellor Don Tecklenburg, who in January replaced Glenn Watts as the station’s overseer. Watts retired from his position of vice chancellor.

“We’ve been here a long time and we are hurt,” said Pam Davis. “This college needs to step up to the plate with this community. Antioch has to take that initial step and come to the community. There are two people we want rehired and nothing short of that,” she said, referring to Aileen LeBlanc, the former WYSO news director, and Vick Mickunas, the station’s former music director.

The purpose of the forum was to reach out to disaffected listeners and try to draw them back into the WYSO fold, according to Tecklenburg and Antioch McGregor President Barbara Gellman-Danley, who is leading WYSO’s strategic planning process.

“I cannot repair all of the problems of the past. It’s not in my power to do so at this time,” Tecklenburg said.

“In all honesty we need your support. We want to enlist you,” he said.

In an attempt to be more inclusive, Tecklenburg announced a series of community meetings during which the public could meet and talk with the three finalists of the station’s search for a new general manager. The meetings were held March 21, 22 and 23.

In February 2002, former WYSO General Manager Steve Spencer cut much of the station’s volunteer-hosted programming, replacing some of the shows with syndicated programming. Since that time a number of WYSO staff members left the station, including LeBlanc and Mickunas, citing difficulties working with Spencer. The station also has suffered under mounting debt and declining listenership as many former listeners stopped supporting the station.

Several who attended last week’s forum said that they want the station to rehire Mickunas and LeBlanc, who applied for the position of general manager and who was recently told she is not a finalist for that job.

At the least, said others, WYSO needs to address the difficulties surrounding the loss of LeBlanc and Mickunas.

“No healing can be done without things being made right with these two people,” said Judith Hempfling.

However, Tecklenburg made clear that the station will not rehire Mickunas or LeBlanc at this time. He did recently meet with Mickunas, he said, and while the two had a discussion he described as “cordial,” Tecklenburg said, “at this point in time an employment situation with Vick is not on the horizon.”

Citing what he said he has learned in 20 years of teaching organizational behavior, Tecklenburg stated, “To go back and fix blame and dwell on things wrong in the past is not fruitful. I’m a forward thinker.”

Other forum participants questioned the station’s current programming, arguing that the unique flavor of WYSO’s past programming, in terms of both music and news, has been lost, a situation that they believe contributes to the station’s current financial problems.

“Does WYSO have any plans to diversify its music and offer challenging ideas, and to teach people once again about different music and different ideas?” said Lisa Goldberg.

In response, Tecklenburg identified the three criteria he requires for new programming. New programs need to be of professional quality, to appeal to a broad audience and to be financially viable, he said.

The station needs to add a fourth criterion in selecting new programs, Michael Jones said: “to what extent does this change attempt to address a problem in the Miami Valley?”

Tecklenburg responded by saying he would consider Jones’s request seriously. “I think what you’ve suggested is a need,” he said.

Several other speakers said that WYSO has lost its progressive values. Logan Martinez of Dayton cited the passage of State Issue 1, a constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage, in the November 2004 election as an opportunity for the station to take a stand.

“The old WYSO would be on the forefront of advocacy for gay people,” said Martinez. “But now we have silence from WYSO rather than a voice for the oppressed.”

What the station lacks is a clear vision of what it wants to be, Ellis Jacobs said, noting that WYSO’s previous slogan, “A Sound Alternative,” made clear to listeners that it would offer something different than mainstream stations. A clearly articulated vision would also ensure that the new general manager would fit the station’s values, he said.

“The irony is that in pursuing the mainstream vision you have shed listeners. By dressing up the station, the authenticity isn’t there,” Jacobs said. “Getting the vision part is critical. If you’re not clear which vision you’re pursuing, you will have more problems.”

Tecklenburg said that he felt the station should hire a manager first and give that person an opportunity to articulate his own vision. And, he said, it’s difficult to find the right balance between making program choices that appeal to a broad audience and those that appeal to listeners who seek niche programming.

“My sense is that we can be too mainstream, and we probably are now, and we can be too alternative, and we probably have been,” he said. “We have to be both original and close enough to the mainstream not to lose people, and I don’t know if that’s doable.”

Tecklenburg expressed appreciation for the station’s current strategic planning process, which is being developed by current station staff and will be finished by April 1.

“In planning our future and envisioning our future, it has engaged the staff and energized us,” he said.

“I’m excited about the station. We have good and committed people,” Tecklenburg said.

Gellman-Danley presented the final report of the WYSO Task Force, which was charged a year ago by the Antioch University Board of Trustees with identifying strategies to address the station’s difficulties. The task force, which submitted a final report to the Board of Trustees last month, stated that WYSO’s current staff needs operational support and access to public radio resources, that the role of the WYSO Resource Board is unclear and needs revision, and that WYSO’s broad range of listeners hold differing opinions on the station’s programming.

One of the task force’s goals, Gellman-Danley said, was to remind the Board of Trustees of the station’s value.

“We wanted first and foremost for the Board of Trustees to celebrate WYSO,” she said.

The station continues to face significant challenges, said Tecklenburg, who several times apologized to forum attendees for the problems of the past several years. He stressed that he values participatory democracy and that he needs the help of all who care about WYSO to turn the station around.

“You can sit and watch and see if I can pull it off, or you can put your oars in the water with me and maybe we’ll be more successful,” he said.

However, some forum participants expressed frustration that station management appeared to ignore their requests that WYSO consider returning to some of the successes of the past.

“I want the station to be a wonderful station again,” said Suzanne Croteau, a former WYSO underwriter. “We need a bridge, not turning back the clock. Anyone in your position needs to be aware that a number of people and a significant amount of money would be right here if a serious bridge effort were made. Without some sort of bridge to the past we’ll have a heck of a time making a good future.”