[Rfu-station] Re: [RFU] WORT-WRFU sister station solidarity

[Mike Lehman]

Ray,
All the items that Norm might be able to supply would be used ones, 
surplus to WORT's needs. If they do have a board they can donate to our 
cause, it is likely to be a better board, but may still be in need of 
minor repairs, just like the board we have.

WORT has a sizable volunteer local news operation, from what I 
understand. I've never heard it, only heard of it. Norm does have a lot 
of experience with portable recording gear, as I've read his posts over 
the years on Prometheus Radio Project's discussing this very subject.

On the other hand, having helped maintain the IMC's portable recording 
gear for the old Radio group, such recorders take a real beating when 
used. So anything Norm can offer us like that is likely to have a lot of 
miles on it. Since we do have money for such new gear, I'd strongly 
suggest that in order to avoid the frustrations volunteers have with 
some of our other well-used gear, that SOMEONE, ANYONE, here at RFU talk 
to Norm about what he'd recommend we buy, since we do have funds 
available to do that. I am cc-ing this to Norm, but it's up to someone 
else to follow-up on whatever he suggests we consider buying. I can no 
longer take on new projects like this, due to the demands of other work 
I have.

The $1600+ in funds from the old Radio group are earmarked for such 
items. That group raised that money through their hard work. I see no 
reason to think that these funds should be dedicated to any other 
purpose, since RFU needs that gear just as badly as they would have 
needed it had they continued, instead of disbanding, in part because RFU 
was starting up and no one wanted to duplicate those efforts.

Reinforcing that is the relative lack of effort by RFU's membership so 
far to do significant fundraising for any of our MANY needs. We need to 
start doing that or the whole station will slowly grind to a halt 
sometime in the next year. Those are just the economic facts of life. 
There is also no reason why we aren't doing fundraising, other than lack 
of effort.

This is something the membership needs to think closely about, because 
I've done everything I can to motivate them to do so. A few people are 
stepping up, like Dan's and others effort with the IMCfest, but more 
need to do so. As I already noted, IMC fest should be the CONCLUSION of 
an active RFU fundraising campaign. If it isn't, we'll only be a little 
better off and still in a very deep hole.

Once again, those members wanting to dig ourselves out of this hole 
should sign up for the RFU-Finance list:
http://lists.ucimc.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/rfu-finance
Then those on this list need to _self-organize_ RFU's efforts to raise 
funding. I will give advice if asked, but I am not going to be able to 
lead this effort. It's up to the membership now.

I've worked since 2000 to get us on the air and keep us on the air. It 
was never intended to be "my station" --  it was always intended to be 
the community's station. So it's up to the membership to make this work. 
The effort that goes into talking about our flaky equipment now needs to 
go into determining what we need and figuring out the fundraising needed 
to make it happen -- or simply determining what we should order and 
doing that in the case of portable recording gear. From this point 
forward, I'm going to finish up the last bit of fundraising I'll be 
working on -- the CFECI grant application -- and then moving on to other 
projects. It's up to the membership to sink or swim at this point on 
these issues.

I am cc-ing this to the RFU-Station list, because there are many people 
on it and not on the RFU list who need to be aware of these facts. 
However, if you want these issues solved, please continue the discussion 
on either the RFU-Finance list I linked above or sign up for where much 
of the station's discussion by signing up for the main RFU list:
http://lists.ucimc.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/rfu

Thanks to Ray for motivating me to again explain the way things are. 
It's now up to the membership to move things forward or find the station 
in economic crisis soon. It won't be just crappy, but still working 
equipment, it will be things like having the studio phone line turned 
off due to lack of funds or not being able to pay the broadcast music 
copyright licensing. Then we'll have to shut down. People can always do 
webcasting from home if that's what they want to do, but this is a radio 
station and needs to act like one.
Mike Lehman

Raymond Morales wrote:
> I figured that if he searched and found good affordable recorders that 
> we could trust this opinion and move on getting them should the 
> opportunity present itself since no one has moved on it at all. If you 
> do not want him to look, then that is fine.
>
> -Ray
>
> Mike Lehman wrote:
>> Ray,
>> It would be a new to us used board, assuming that Norm has something 
>> like that.
>>
>> Also, we have the $1600 from the old IMC Radio group that we can use 
>> to buy new portable recorders. All we need is a proposal for what we 
>> should buy to make that happen.
>> Mike Lehman
>>
>> Raymond Morales wrote:
>>> I hope that a new board can make it on that list. I think that 
>>> portable audio recorders should be on that list too.
>>>
>>> -Ray
>>>
>>> Molly wrote:
>>>> Hey y'all,
>>>>
>>>> I talked with Norm Stockwell, operations manager of our fabulous
>>>> community radio station here in Madison and mentioned that WRFU was is
>>>> need of some new gear and some help.
>>>>
>>>> It turns out he is headed down to Tennessee next week and can stop
>>>> through Urbana on his way. He said he'd be happy to help WRFU if you
>>>> want. (You may remember him if you were at the barnraising - he drove
>>>> down from Madison then).
>>>>
>>>> Mike, or someone, can you email him a list of the types of equipment
>>>> you're looking for? Norm is constantly scouring for equipment and is a
>>>> great person to talk to for leads and/or advice. There may be stuff
>>>> here at the station that he could bring too, I don't know. I didn't
>>>> know the details of what y'all need to buy. Also, last year Norm
>>>> scored some HD radios which they used to fundraise with, so that is a
>>>> thought, too.
>>>>
>>>> Norm Stockwell, WORT FM <normstoc at wort-fm.org>
>>>>
>>>> Norm is a very kind and caring soul, and has a huge knowledge of all
>>>> things radio. It would be a great opportunity if folks wanted to meet
>>>> with him and pick his brain. Send him an email with details and he
>>>> will help you.
>>>>
>>>> Hasta!
>>>> Molly
>>>> _______________