Wxyc-announce mailing list

[wxyc-announce-admin AT lists.ibiblio.org]

-If you're a UNC student, please vote online at studentcentral.unc.edu 
from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Tuesday (tomorrow!) for the referendum to 
increase our student activity fee, which hasn't gone up since 1984

-It is currently $11.50/semester, and the referendum asks for it to 
increase to $19.50.  If adjusted for the rate of inflation, it would only 
be $19.63.  Most schools' fees are $19-23

-The fee provides money for student activities and organizations, 
primarily through allocation by Student Congress annually and subsequently 
every other week, as well as Student Television, the Carolina Union 
Activities Board, and WXYC

-It also gets you free or low, low cost movies, concerts, plays, speakers, 
bunches of cultural events, and all campus publications besides the Daily 
Tarheel

-Any University officially recognized student group, whether for 
undergraduate or graduate members or both, can apply for this money

-In 1984 there were fewer than 300 student groups on campus, now over 500 
groups ask for the same small piece of the pie

-24 groups applied to Congress for funding in 1984, now 100 groups apply

-Congress was only able to fund 26% of the total dollars requested this 
year

-At WXYC, we have a lot of catching up to do.  Our budget, at about
$18,000/year, is far behind those of other student-fee funded ACC
student-run radio stations.  UVA's radio station gets $100,000/year from
student fees.  The rest average about $50,000/year

-WXYC has felt the crunch of a small budget for a long time now.  A 
several-year fundraising campaign has been the only means of replacing an 
old, broken tower/antenna ($25,000).  No other equipment replacement or 
upgrade has been possible, but many improvements are needed.  We have to 
pick and choose our battles

-WXYC faces large fees to continue broadcasting over the internet.  
Without a larger budget, we will not be able to afford webcasting; a big
chunk of student listeners, whether at home for breaks, abroad, or just
graduated, will be cut out

-Looking at the group that gets 1/3 of the activities fee: in 1984, your 
campus-wide programming organization - CUAB - brought to campus Prince, 
the Talking Heads, and Neil Young.  Today, it can't afford even one of 
these groups, let alone acts like Wilco or Ludakris

-CUAB also shows fewer movies than it used to, as well as fewer and lesser 
known speakers

-Vote from 7 a.m. 'til 10 p.m. Tuesday at studentcentral.unc.edu!