By Esther Hoffman, junior

The communication problem
This is the 21st century. It’s the digital age, and students living in this age have access to technology that people could barely dream of 15 years ago. We are members of a society that values networking through various digital means, including texting, e-mailing, twittering and logging on to Facebook.

So why is it so hard for Friends University to communicate with its students? Students have campus e-mail addresses and pass by bulletin boards frequently, yet so many great Friends events go unnoticed by the majority of the student body.

Friends is using all the channels of communication possible, right? The University has a Facebook group, a Web site, an e-mail database, a public relations department, an online newspaper, multiple bulletin boards and many plasma screen televisions scattered around campus.

So what could possibly be missing? What channels of communication may have been overlooked or underestimated?

The possible solution
A radio station or a TV station is a probable solution, but Friends doesn’t have either one.

These are two effective channels of communication that could be used by Friends students and faculty. So why aren’t they being used?

Why doesn’t Friends have a radio or TV station?

In the early ’90s, Friends was not doing well financially. The economy was on a downturn, and the University did not have the endowment that it has now. Several departments and academic programs were eliminated to cut costs.
The radio station was one of the eliminations. By 1992, the college’s radio station, KSOF, was $4 million in debt, and

President Biff Green made the decision to shut it down.

And Friends has never had a TV station.

As Green put it, “We never have enough resources to do everything we want to do.”

Green is committed to making sure that the University is using its resources wisely, and for him that means focusing on the academic programs that are currently available and the ones that are sponsored by donors.

The cost
The possibility of a radio and TV station on campus would greatly increase if a donor gave a large sum toward building a radio and TV program.

“First of all, it would have to pay for itself,” Green said.

Kurt Priebe, drama and communications teacher, said there are many logistical problems to getting a radio and TV station set up. Some of these logistical problems include figuring out a budget and staffing the program.

To add to the list, “where would you put it?” Priebe said.

The benefit
The old radio station had a strong fine arts following, and many people were surprised that it shut down, Priebe said.

So there are some foreseeable benefits of starting up another radio station in conjunction with a TV station:
• Increased student and alumni interest in college activities: Students would hear more details about upcoming events.
• Increased appreciation for the music, drama and media departments: The radio station might play some student recordings, showcase plays and display the media program’s digital projects.
• Increased awareness of world events: A broadcast journalism program would have a strong news focus, and student reporters would give a unique flavor to the local and national news.
• Increased internships with professional radio and TV stations: Communications students interested in broadcast journalism could practice the skills they need to get an internship or job.
• Increased transfers from community colleges: Transfer students interested in broadcast journalism would be more inclined to come to Friends if it had a TV and radio station.
• Increased interest in college sports: Live broadcasts of games would promote school spirit and involvement, and might also pique the interests of prospective students.

How we can implement it
Think of how much more of a following a radio and TV station could get now. There are different formats that radio and TV can be broadcast in: 
• traditional broadcast radio and TV 
• streaming radio and TV 
• downloadable podcasts and videos

How we can make it happen
But all these different ways of broadcasting won’t make a difference if the University does not have a radio and TV station or broadcast journalism program.

At risk of sounding like a droning e-mail forward, I must ask: Do you agree that Friends needs a broadcast department? Would you listen to a student radio station? Would you watch a student TV station? Are you excited by the possibility of joining something public, that can make a visible and audible difference on campus?

If yes, then you should help make it happen.

Encourage alumni to consider donating, or tell other students or staff members that we need a TV station or radio station to better communicate as a college campus.