Another victim was claimed by the creeping Miami University budget cuts as Miami's public radio station, WMUB, will no longer be run as a local and Oxford-oriented station. The university announced that it did not have the resources to sustain such a high level of funding for the station while at the same time, layoffs and budget cuts are occurring across departments. Miami supported around 60 percent of the station's budget, but the new agreement will have Miami only retain the licensing agreement that names the station, while Cincinnati Public Radio (CPR) will take over operations. The editorial board of The Miami Student-which includes members who have a close relationship with the station-believe that the loss of local programming will be irreversible and that amidst all other budget cuts, this may be the most painful.
The dwindling of support for WMUB can be traced to two main reasons: first, the change in programming; second, the physical coverage area of the WMUB antenna. The former is a case of our local station switching from programs that included music to one that is entirely news-driven-a format that even station employees admit takes time for a listening audience to adjust to, especially with the end of the Mama Jazz Show. However, even with the shift in programming, WMUB provided local news that will now be completely unavailable until CPR decides to open a local news bureau. Fortunately, the events supporting Miami's Bicentennial history such as Charter Day Ball will still be covered. Nonetheless, future significant events that occur at Miami and in Dayton will no longer be covered.
Second, the reach of radio coverage is not able to penetrate much of the listening area, meaning the decreasing listening base is drawing on an already small number of regional residents that can hear the station. Interestingly, CPR is looking to use the existing Miami license to possibly put up repeater stations in the area to extend its range-a licensing component that Miami has never been able to act on. However, even this possible development can't make up for the staff that will be laid off and the loss of control of what goes on at our station. Perhaps the worst impact of this change will be the uncertainty as to whether students can produce their own on-air reports. There are few opportunities in Oxford for gaining hands-on radio experience, and students will now have to travel out of town to get the same NPR background.
The loss of WMUB means there will be fewer outlets apart from The Student for those students interested in news media. Some fear that this could lead to a slippery slope of budget cuts for unprofitable, yet important, programs around campus. However, it is understandable that Miami cannot continue to keep up subsidy levels at what is on average 30 percent greater than the amount of funding that other universities provide to their public stations. Right now, though, all we can hope is that we continue to maintain the WMUB license so that we can reclaim the station, be able to re-hire staff and bring local broadcast news back to Miami Valley should our finances improve.
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