Aggie Radio to fund FM

“For the students by the students” has been Aggie Radio’s mission statement for the past eight years. Now students are looking to improve the student-run radio with a request for $20,000 from Capital and Support funds.

“Aggie Radio is going FM and will benefit all students,” said Nate Dukatz, Arts and Lectures Director for the USUSA programming office.

Dukatz said that funding will help Aggie Radio provide students from multiple colleges a better opportunity to express themselves creatively and voice opinions and concerns that address Utah State University community issues.

Yesterday bill ECB 2016-04 was presented at the Utah State University Student Association Executive Council. The bill is to fund Aggie Radio 92.3 KBLU-LP to purchase the required equipment for a transition to a low-power FM radio station by the time their construction permit expires on March 15 of this year.

In September 2014, Aggie Radio received permission from the Federal Communication Commission to become an FM station. Since then, the station managers have struggled to raise the funds necessary for a transition to LPFM.

“The total budgeted cost for the transition to LPFM is more than $40,000,” Dukatz said. “The one-time equipment expense is $21,000, which is the amount we need to fulfill FCC requirements by March 2016.”

Aggie Radio Theater member Jace Smellie said that other costs include funding for tower climber labor, a professional engineer, licensing, a stress test on the tower and incidental costs.

After Dukatz and Smellie presented their Capital and Support fund request, sponsor Ty Aller, the graduate studies senator presented the ECB 2016-04 bill for equipment funding. With a unanimous vote, all USUSA executive council members agreed that the legislation would pass first reading.

“The unanimous vote on that piece of legislation shows that the elected leaders that the student body voted on support it,” Aller said. “It’s important to have full support when you’re throwing around this much funding.”

Officers support the bill because they recognize the scope of people Aggie Radio is able to reach, Aller said. They will also all be able to use the radio to advertise their events.

The executive council was also interested in the increased opportunities Aggie Radio would make available to students.

“Students should expect to see an increase of radio programming as well as increased diversity of thought,” said Madison Maners, Public Relations Director for USUSA. “Aggie Radio has influenced students by providing opportunities to learn in a professional environment, and that reach can extend beyond its current population with this change.”

Next Tuesday the executive council will hold a second reading of the bill and vote on funding.

— kayla1swenson@gmail.com