Front Page  »  

Cal Poly radio station at risk after sexually explicit fundraiser

July 17, 2014

getting it onBy CCN STAFF

KCPR FM, Cal Poly’s student-run radio station, could be sold away from the campus following a fundraising promotion in which two student DJs offered to sell photos of their genitals in return for cash donations. For $20 dollars, the students would make the sexually explicit photos available on Snapchat.

Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Douglas Epperson said in an email shortly before the story broke that he saw no need to keep the station, which has been operated by students for more than 46 years.

“I am beginning to believe that we should sell the radio license” (we have had an offer),” Epperson wrote in an email sent May 19. “What were they thinking and how could it go so far with the faculty completely unaware!!!”

Epperson confirmed in an email to Cal Poly’s interim Director of Media Relations Matt Lazier that also went to Provost Kathleen Enz Finken, that he had been warned earlier about conditions at KCPR.

“I can confirm that the secretary approached me early this year regarding a number of issues,” Epperson wrote on May 27. “One of these was her desire to be taken off the FCC license for the radio station and another was her concern about the lack of oversight provided for the radio station.”

Epperson told Lazier and Enz Finken in the email that he had had multiple conversations with Glick about oversight of the station.

In another email following the promotion, Epperson asked Journalism Department Chair Mary Glick and Associate Professor Richard Gearhart, the faculty advisor for the station, to put together an organizational plan and structure for the station. That plan would have to prevent additional controversies and improve the educational value of the station, Epperson wrote.

“I am very serious about this — it is just one problem after another at a much greater frequency and magnitude than the other student media outlets without nearly the educational value of the other media outlets,” Epperson wrote in an email obtained through the California Public Records Act.

Epperson laid the blame on “poor student selection and/or poor faculty oversight.”

Gearhart, a graduate of Cal Poly and a news reader on KSBY TV, was hired three years ago as a tenure-track associate professor whose duties include advising the radio station. He had taught part time in the journalism department and College of Agriculture for a number of years before that.

More than a week before CalCoastNews published the story, Glick sent an email to Epperson in which she said that she saw the need for a manager for KCPR “preferably a faculty member with professional experience who can maximize the station’s potential.”

Some of the student staff at the station were aware of the fundraiser before it became news.

“In regards to the fundraiser, I was aware that this was happening and at first was slightly uneasy,” a staff member who’s name was redacted by Cal Poly, wrote in an email to Glick on May 19. “However in the signup//waiver form, they took full responsibility and stated that all retribution was due to them, not the station, so I dismissed my concern.”

One of the students involved said that the sexually explicit promotion was mentioned in at least one broadcast on the station.

“We mentioned the activity in a sense that it was ‘check out our Facebook for this promotion,’ ” the student whose name was redacted by Cal Poly wrote. “We didn’t explicitly walk through it on air, and it was not called to any action to take part in the promotion.”

Glick has announced a “Blue Ribbon Panel” to devise a formal plan for station oversight.

David Weary, a 1984 graduate, spent three years working at the station. After hearing about what was happening at the station, he offered to put together a committee and donate his time.

Glick responded with an email inviting Weary to serve on the panel. Weary had not heard from Glick as of July 16.

The College of Liberal Arts declined to make any person available to answer questions. CalCoastNews left a message for Glick but had not heard from her by press time.

Get breaking stories first, like CalCoastNews on Facebook.


Loading...
Subjects:             
Related:


22 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Many moons ago, I was a student manager of a department at our little student-run/managed radio station in Oshkosh, WI.. This was around the time of the “7 Dirty Words” (of George Carlin fame) vs. Uncle Charlie.


Being the Program Director, it was my LICENSE and expected duty to be sure everything aired in the appropriate time periods (Carlin material was DEFINATELY AFTER MIDNIGHT…), WHERE APPROPRIATE.


We had a “locally produced” show (title masked to protect the idiot) that was called “E.X.’s Delights” which comprised itself of mostly Dr. Demento schticks and assorted “border-line” material that didn’t come too-close to the “After-Midnight” rules.


However, one night, during my “shift” on the air, due to a lack of pre-checking and LISTENING to the WHOLE TAPE, I got caught, off guard, by a vulger insinuation concerning the differences between the song “Battle Hymn Of The Republic” and the “George Carlin” incident in Milwaukee that had got him arrested.


Since it was MY LICENSE (and possible future employment) and the UNIVERSITY’s LICENSE…when the “reference” hit me (it took about 10-15 seconds) as was to WHAT “E. X.” was hinting at, I reached up, ripped the tape off the tape deck (didn’t hit or ), flipped on the mic and said, “Due to a technical difficulty, the rest of ‘E. X’s Delights’ can not be presented this evening. So, to fill the rest of the hour, we will be starting “Jazz-Blues Fusion” a little bit earlier than norman and will continue to do so ’til it’s regularly scheduled end, right after this break. (We ran campus announcements and the assorted PSAs that came in…we were not allowed to “sell” commercial time…back then.)


A few minutes later, I answered the phone and it was Mr. E.X. asking why his show wasn’t airing and what kind of “technical difficulty” was preventing the show to continue.


I asked him if he could meet me the following day…and hung up.


The following day, he showed up, with his mother. I asked Mrs. E.X. to wait outside the control area and after she was outside the air-lock (Control and Air-Lock were sound-proofed…very well.), I proceeded to put Mr. E.X. on notice that not only was his show being yank from the schedule, but he was receiving an ‘F’ for his grade that semester and to give me his key for the Studios. I let him know that until the FCC is fine with potty-humour and the “7 Dirty Words” 100%, he would have to find some other way to get his crap out to the public.


The Department Head back me up 100%. However, I did get a bit of a “dressing down” on the part where I failed to completely listen to the tape before it aired. My bad…


As a sidebar to this particular incident, I found out a few weeks later (when the story started making the rounds to the other classes, that Mr. E.X. (who, BTW, was 7″ taller than me) had been suspended from his own HS due to the fact that he had punched out his HS Football coach for some obtuse reason. Luck me…


So, you see, it’s ALWAYS important to look futher than your own interests to see if your actions have any effect on others, other than on yourself alone. What may be good for the gander isn’t always healthy, or uplifting, for the geese.


Now, the problem I find with the “sexting” on Social Networks? You don’t know who is hanging around the recipient of your missives. What was to prevent ‘Under 18s’ from signing up/in and getting a ‘flash’ from those two numbnuts? I’m surprised those two clowns aren’t being pursued by the local A.D.A. or some “Mothers Against Sophmoric Smut” (M.A.S.S.). But then, when in Rome…


0

The reactions to some unwise decisions seem a bit over the top, and downright stupid. Why are people always looking to punish? Is it not enough that the students are admonished, taken off the air, and the rest of us and them move on?


And the school is acting stupid. If, as a major organization, one of your small departments makes a mistake or lacks good management, do you fix it, take it as an opportunity focus and improve, or liquidate.


Those that don’t like the crude can turn it off, get involved and reform, or react and give power to it, like Howard Stern or other shock jocks. A lot of the professional morning shows do things far cruder or controversial, and I seldom listen to them before tiring of the same skittish routines. But some like it. C’est la vie.


0

They should transfer to San Francisco State and receive a hero’s welcome.


0

I ain’t no prude. I totally believe that idiots should be able to purchase and run whatever

medium they like. But it is not a public institution’s purview to have to support lame punks

parading bad taste as examples of “free speech”

Sell the station.

Let the University do what it’s there to do.

Allow the new owners to have their new frequency sink or swim.


0

.

Logan Cooper and Sean Martinez will certainly pay dearly on Judgment Day when they meet Jesus because of their ungodly words they used during their radio program concerning their “members” photographs!


“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,  for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” ( Matthew 12:36-37)


Relative to the word of our Hebrew God above, the term “condemned” equals Hell, and this fiery place has a “plethora” of fire and sulfur lakes! I would suggest that Logan and Sean invest in asbestos suits prior to when they think their demise is near.


0

“Judgement day” is a myth perpetuated by insecure fools who need something to believe in,

regardless of fact.


0

ironyman,


I would love to be a fly on the wall when you meet Jesus on Judgment Day! I can just see him springing the trap door in your behalf for you to fall into the sulfur lakes of Hell for eternity!


“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in THE LAKE THAT BURNS WITH FIRE AND SULFUR, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)


0

Ted, Holy Shit Dude! Even Jesus drank wine, please have some. No, Have a lot! Now back away from your computer, slowly, before you implode. You seem to have Jesus confused with Jason from Friday the thirteenth. Depictions of nudity / Genitals have been displayed in museums and fine art gallery’s for the masses to see, in paintings and Statuary from the earliest known art. Would Adam and Eve take selfies on their smartphones? She did eat the forbidden apple you know, totally messed up her kids. If there was a fly on the wall in your home it try to escape in hopes of throwing itself into an oncoming big rig for relief from your fanatical rants. College kids acting stupid? That’s a first. And now according to you, they are damned to hell, while your wish is to witness their brutal deaths. That’s not weird or anything…….


0

There is no “judgement day”, goofball, and a guy named Jesus is dead as you

may have heard. If there is such a thing as reincarnation you are cordially

invited to return as a fly and rest your weary carcass anywhere you like.


0

What do I think. I think this must be some kind of joke and the joke is on you. Just because you say so these two are going to hell? Who do you think you are? I read more Biblical Greek, Sanskrit, Avestan, and recently an English Translation of the Qur’an (I like it) than you ever will. You must be one of the local goobers in a pick up truck? ride off into the sunset. Nobody needs your inbred ignorance. Nobody gives a damn what you suggest, you are essentially irrelevant.

These are two College kids, sweets try me on. It may have been stupid what these two apparently did? But at least they are not cock roaching around Christian Church Trashianity

hiding behind props and cover. I think maybe you need a background check?

Christianity has become a childish (don’t send them, don’t hide behind them, isn’t that precious those 100 db banshee shrieks they do), ignorant, spiritually dead religion. Keep that trash to yourself.


0

As a former Cal Poly journalism student and someone who is fascinated by the politics of the university, I feel that both sides here ought to calculate their next moves carefully. Cal Poly administration has a history of severe, knee-jerk reactions to issues involving students as of late (i.e. Greek life restrictions, etc.), yet these types of responses do not bode well for how the students think about their university’s policy-making efforts and can in fact create an attitude of students who find the admin’s responses distasteful and alienating. It can appear at times that the university is more interested in the appeal of the school’s reputation than what may actually benefit its student body.


With that being said, the individuals involved in this particular incident seem to have forgotten that they are representing an entity much larger than themselves, as indicated by their blatant lack of discretion. I fail to understand how offering photos of their genitals in exchange for monetary gain of the benefitting organization sought to further whatever interests they were working towards.


Let’s not forget that within the journalism department, a group of students study public relations each quarter and actively participate in campaign-building exercises. Perhaps a realistic solution to the lack of oversight and ultimately appropriate usage of the organization’s important platform would be to assign KCPR a team of PR students who would run an image/rebranding campaign for the station in future quarters. This would give the channel a chance to maintain the important asset in question (KCPR), as well as encouraging actions that will benefit the student body and free speech, so long as the DJs are able to clean up their act.


0

Cal Poly needs to realize what kind of education that is happening at their school, offer degrees in drinking, being a spoiled child and bad behavior.


0

None of you would have survived the summer of love. Too caught up in pomp, circumstance and SHAME!


0

Probably not as 11,363 were caught in combat and did not survive during your 67′ Summer of Love. 100,000 involving themselves in politics, music, drugs, and total lack of sexual and social inhibition. And you call us pompous and shameful? O.k. I can live with that.


0

Your post is what is termed a fallacious comparison and is called an”apples and oranges” analogy. You have a need to drag violence into this and so feel you must bring in statistics about war and death, when in actuality there is nothing in the original article about the war-and likewise my responding statement.


Here, this may help you: http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/rgass/fallacy3211.htm

It is a starter list. There is a delicate art to debate, but you too can learn it.


0

So, what discipline action as been taken against the students and the powers in charge, Probably none, Cal Poly does not care about these little issues, it has become the biggest operating business in this County. Housing, food industry, construction, entertainment, farming, employment, etc. They need no one, just our money and even that is becoming questionable.


0
1 2