Posted on: Friday, September 24, 2004
UH-Manoa radio marking 35 years of alternative music
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
MANOA — Hour by hour, the University of Hawai'iiManoa radio station, KTUH, offers diversity.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser "KTUH is run by the students, and we make sure we play what other stations aren't playing," said Jay Chrisman, the station's general manager. "We want to expose people to new music."
There is no pre-programmed music on KTUH. There are only about two dozen college stations nationwide that do what KTUH does: offer a student-run station with student-determined programming in time blocks and volunteer DJs.
To celebrate its birthday, the station will hold a weeklong radiothon starting Oct. 3, with live performances to multiple hours of music and public service announcements. KTUH's goal is train students in how to work in radio, said station adviser Jay Hartwell. Public service announcements are key component to what KTUH does: transmit information to the community.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser "I like the no commercial interruptions," Tanaka said. "They don't appeal to the popular side of music — the stuff everyone else plays on the radio."
Aside from the loose genre constraints dictated by a block programming schedule — three hours of one kind of music — DJs are solely responsible for the musical programming of their three-hour weekly gig.
DJs come from all fields on campus. Some are astronomy majors, others major in Hawaiian language, American studies, journalism, business and psychology, Chrisman said.
There's a waiting list for students who want to become DJs.
"People tune in because there's always a DJ here who always answers the phone to take requests or answer questions," he said. "Sometimes we feature live music in our studios.
"There is so much good music out there, you can't hear it all. We have regulars who tune in and those who tune in from time to time. We have somewhat of a cult following."
90.3 FM if you're near the Manoa campus, 89.7 in Hawai'i Kai or 91.3 on the North Shore. KTUH is on the Web at www.ktuh.org. The fact that it has stayed on the air this long, except for brief periods of static when the station was boosting its power, is a feat few other stations can brag about as ownership changes hands and formats change regularly.
The station atop Hemenway Hall is financed through donations and student fees.
Over the years the station has received national awards. The most recent was in 2002 from College Broadcasters Inc. for the best public service announcement, which was produced by a student.
"Students learn about leadership and about running a radio station," Hartwell said. "UH is committed to this station. KTUH is the only station to provide alternative music for the last 35 years ... alternatives to what the record companies want you to buy."
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.
Without commercials, the station plays jazz, ska, Reggae, punk, classical, Celtic, hip-hop, Hawaiian, Caribbean blues. It's all there and has been for 35 years.
KTUH wants to "expose people to new music," according to general manager Jay Chrisman, shown here in the station's vinyl vault.
Trisha Tanaka, a 24-year-old English major, tunes into KTUH when she gets tired of hearing the same song repeatedly on commercial stations. She likes the live DJ aspect and is keen on tuning in when the station does a live interview on any topic.
Teaming up for a special Midwest rock show, DJs Terri, left, and Lisa are free to decide the programming of their three-hour weekly gig.
What started out in the 1960s as an AM station broadcast as far as the dorms in the quarry now has a strong signal that broadcasts from Manoa to Hawai'i Kai to the North Shore of O'ahu.
Where is KTUH?
