University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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STATION BREAK at KDGU is given by Alan Young, while another announcer, Paul Gellens, stands by at the table. home. They worked on programming, continuity, news, traffic, engineering, advertising, and still they typed on— and on—and on. Their unspoken mot- to was a carbon for everyone. Finally, at the first formal meet- ing, Prof. Dixon wisely suggested that formats be established—and that some of the endless typing be eliminated by standard station breaks and fewer script copies. Little by little problems were being solved and work was becoming easier. When classes in continuity writing and radio news and special events were able to submit scripts as part of their laboratory activity, the show was well on the road. Later, radio speaking, acting, and dramatic script writing classes were scheduled to present live broadcasts. Until then, more than 5,000 records from the Lang-Worth transcription service formed the background of the station ' s programming. Popular music is featured, since it is believed the stu- dent audience prefers that type of en- tertainment. Many visitors to the studio remark that it is larger and better equipped than many full-time commercial sta- tions. The KDGU headquarters in- clude two studios, an announcer ' s booth, a large control room, and the general office room. Radio students are proud to show guests through after all, look what they have !—and it ' s all theirs. ancestor: KFKU But the grand-daddy of radio at KU is the University ' s educational sta- tion KFKU with studios in the elec- trical engineering building behind Marvin hall. KFKU was established in 1942 as an experimental station for electrical engineers. Then when the University realized radio ' s importance in modern communications, KFKU and Lawrence station WREN agreed to share air time. Previously on the air only nine months, this year marked the begin- ning of a full year of AM broadcasts on KFKU one hour a day. KANU-FM, which operates from 1:45 to 9:15 p. m. Sunday through Friday, was inaugurated Sept. 15, RADIO Players tape a show: Gene Reynolds, Max Zim- rnerman, Terry Strong, Dave Hicks, and Geoffery Weston vocally emote for the great unseen audience. 20

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RADIO ,4„-ianager. s and assist.: Most of the over Mount Oread have been considerably agitated in cent years as the comparatively modern phenomenon of radio has taken root in educational soil. Through the facilities of four ferent organizations at the University each one designed for a specific purpose students may get profession- al radio training, they may learn as they earn, or they can simply indulge that whim to be on the air. The latest corner to campus radio is KDGU, a wired wireless station with studios in the Journalism building. KDGU has been in operation ftfur hours a day Monday through Friday since September 14. It is a student laborat, y station, connected by a leased t- hone wire to its area of recepti , orbin an North College halls These two h were chosen becau e they housed :- most students could be re h from a sing transmit ' bt pl s call for evefltual expansion. The deral„eOmmunic ons C ha o control ov a statio if the no perceptib radio , ave than 300 feet from the radiating edium. So the red wireless, g•ned by FC has more fr ' edom for enta ' on. KDGU is t result of sever year of y members of he ,:j- School i Journalist . A professional partment of speech and drama nd ,thee ro degree of Bachelor in radio can ► w be obtained by those by the of Jour- ion. Don of speech program. e training of- fered by KDGU ' s set p will develop initiative, because students actually manage and opera the station and by El L EEN FOLEY can -xperiment wit gramming while can receive tn. ' side by sel st Lyn manager app6intecr departure i heads are ro, led course 176, which pro- v des hat in an ad- : or anag ial capacity at the on get credi . corresponding to the mount of wor done. hese stude is include David Hicks, Carolyn West, Patricia Mitchell, Jo Anna March, college seniors; Eileen Foley, journalism senior, and Joan Mc- Clure, college junior. Other staff members are Ed and Ward Ferguson, college seniors; Glen Yancey, business juni Russell . Wigglesworth-rpirnalism junior, and Jim Doherty, engineering sophomore. Gene Reynolds, instructor in speech, is faculty adviser. During the week preceding the tion opening, KDGU ' s staff members spent most of their time in the studios, Rooms 217 and 220 Journalism. KDGU became their home away from and, Mary Kin gra strut he curriculum administe illiam Allen White Sch alism and Public Inform Dixon, associate ,professo and drams-directs the n Prof. Dixon believes o- also ommercial me. KDGU staff members and advisers discuss policy. Pictured: Pat Mitchell, Dave Hicks, Eileen Foley, Joan McClure, Lynn Osborn, Mary Kinnane, Don Dixon, Caroline West, Russell Wigglesworth. 19

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1952, and will be dedicated this fall. The station ' s purpose is to provide education by radio, distinguished from KDGU ' s aim of providing education for radio. Station manager and director of University Radio and Television is R. Edwin Browne. Heading the staff are Mildred Seaman, program director; Merle Harmon, sports director; Glenn Price, continuity editor, and R. P. Stringham, chief engineer. Backed by a $7,000 record library and excellent facilities, both stations offer many services to the people of the area. The KU sports network of live broadcasts originates at KANU and is relayed to 24 Kansas and Mis- souri stations. The KU tape network offers pro- grams such as the Jayhawk School of the Air to seven Kansas stations. This series is designed to be heard in the classroom by elementary grades. Last year it was estimated that 20,000 stu- dents listened to these broadcasts. In addition to the 12 full-time staff members, KANU employs many part- time students who earn as they learn about announcing, continuity writing, and other jobs. And now University eyes are turned toward television. With a minor al- teration at the top, the station trans- mitter tower can support a television antenna. The University filed applica- tion with the FCC on June 1 for a permit to construct a non-commercial TV station on channel 11, but no ac- tion has been taken. Administration officials hope the 1955 legislature will provide funds for construction. If so, KU will cooperate with Kan- sas State in joint television presenta- tion. Both schools would have a trans- mitter with a micro-wave relay link joining them. Each would have a sep- arate channel and produce half of the programs. radio dramatists An offshoot of the University sta- tions is a drama group called Radio Players, which was organized in 1950 by Mrs. Ruby Le Neve Motta, its pres- ent sponsor and production director of KANU-KFKU. Membership is by invitation, work, and selection. Auditions are held in the fall and from the tape recording of voices Mrs. Motta chooses candidates. Through a point system the candidates build up eligibility for becoming a Radio Player. At present there are 19 Radio Play- ers and 50 candidates. Officers are Terry Strong, engineering junior, presi- 21 R. EDWIN BROWNE tunes in the radio-TV high frequency set in his office to analyze KDGU ' s programming. STUDENT ENGINEERS Jim Doherty and Glen Yancey work at the panel in the well-equipped KDGU control room.