University of Virginia Library

WUVA Seeks FCC License
For 24-Hour Broadcasting

By Peter Shea
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

First-Year Navy ROTC Student Dons Half Uniform For Photo

Photo by Tom Dunant

Dispute Exists Over Promises Of No Compulsory ROTC Indoctrination By Dean

WUVA, one of the University's student-run
radio stations, is seeking to
become the first student owned and
operated radio station in the United
States to broadcast over a full 24-hour
day over an extended area.

The success of this attempt, revealed
by Paul Hurdle at last night's meeting of
the Student Council, is dependent upon
the approval of a $17,350 loan by the
Board of Visitors to the station.

Mr. Hurdle, Vice-President of the
Council, said that the Council must first
agree to underwrite the loan before the
Visitors can even discuss granting it.

Under regulations of the Federal
Communications Commission, any station
seeking to broadcast full time must
show available resources of $44,000,
exclusive of expected advertising revenue.
The stations present assets total $26,650,
leaving it short of the minimum figure by
the amount of the desired loan.

Loan Motion

The Council will act on a motion to
underwrite the loan at its meeting next
Tuesday.

If both the Council and the Board
approve the loan, the station will have to
apply for the new permit. Two other
groups in the Charlottesville area are
known to be interested in obtaining the
broadcasting rights.

WUVA must submit its application to the
FCC by the end of the month. If it is accepted,
the station will broadcast over an area covering
most of central Virginia.

Presently, the station can be received only
by persons living in the University community.
It broadcasts over the electrical wires in the
dormitories and has facilities for reaching the
fraternity area.

Discussion at the Council meeting next week
is expected to center around the danger of the
station falling to cover the loan, which would
thus fall to the Council.

Advertisement Increase

Mr. Hurdle said that Chris Thaiss, President
of WUVA, expects an increase of advertising
revenue ranging from $30,000 to $60,000.

Therefore, according to Mr. Hurdle, the only
way the station could fall is if it were to be
destroyed in a fire or some similar catastrophe.
The studies are located in the basement of
Lefevre House, which is fireproof according to
the University Housing Department.

Mr. Horde reported that the station had
received in the past a loan of $25,000 from the
Visitors and that there had been no difficulty in
covering the loan then.

He also reported that Mr. Thaiss was willing
to agree to almost any terms desired by the
Council or Visitors.

Bankrupt Publications

In other action taken Tuesday night, the
Council discussed the problem of bankrupt
publications whose debt falls to the Council.

The First-Year Facebook, normally published
by the outgoing first-year Committee,
will not be published this year due to a shortage
of funds. The Committee has only $500 with
which to pay for the booklet which would leave
a debt of nearly $2,000.

The Council appointed its Organizations and
Publications Committee to investigate the
possibility of printing a namebook with the
available money.

The Committee will also attempt to
determine if another organization such as the
IFC could take over the publication of the
book. The IFC uses the book most for its rush
program.

The O & P Committee will also try to
determine what to do about standing debts of
other publications. Plum & Sword, now
defunct, left behind a debt of $1,400 and steps
must be taken to avoid such problems falling to
the Council.

Case Support

Tuesday night's defeat of Tom Gardner's
motion to file a brief in support of the four
women in the discrimination case against the
University was taken after the Council agreed
to suspend the rules.

Normally, any new business introduced at a
meeting is automatically tabled until the next
session. However, as occurred Tuesday, if the
Council agrees that any delay would adversely
effect the measure, it can suspend the rules and
discuss the issue that night.

At the request of several councilmen, the
vote on the Gardner motion was a roll-call vote.

Members Hurdle, Kevin Mannix, Paul
Bishop, Ron Cass, Gardner, Steve Hayes,
Charles Murdock, Tony Sherman, Al Sinesky,
Jim Roebuck and 'Bud' Ogle voted in favor of
the defeated measure.

Clie Smith, Henry Doggrell, Mary Jean
Harrold, Charles Majors, Ed Finch, Rogers
Davis, Dan . Walker, Gene Lockhart, Ron
Hickman, Rob Kurtz and Sam Robinson voted
against it.