University radio removes music aimed at students

University radio deejays have joined a chorus of disapproval after being informed that Campus FM is to scrap its drive-time shows airing commercial music aimed at students.

But the management of Campus FM said the move was inevitable and argued that students would still have several programmes to suit their tastes.

As from June 1, Campus FM will be broadcasting approximately 40 hours of classical music each week.

This change means that commercial music will no longer be broadcast and deejays have been informed their contracts will not be renewed beyond this month.

The decision was taken by the board of directors of University Broadcasting Services Ltd in the light of the government's decision to substitute FM Bronja's role with classical and cultural broadcasting through collaboration between Campus FM and Radju Malta. FM Bronja - the classical music station run by PBS - is to be closed.

The proposal is to completely scrap the 15 hours of drive-time (from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday) radio shows. At present, Campus FM broadcasts 24 hours a day, including the BBC World Service for 12 hours, starting from 10 p.m.

The production of classical music and cultural programmes will be entrusted to established and new producers, as well as through collaboration with international stations.

But this change was not music to the ears of the existing DJs.

"If UBS wishes to introduce classical music on Campus FM, that is all well and good, but not at the expense of the only shows aimed at students," deejay Wesley Ellul said.

"This gesture is something I would normally applaud, as I believe musical diversity is a wonderful thing. But substituting the only shows aimed directly at students on a Campus radio station for a genre of music that is far from being the most popular among students is a very bad move," Mr Ellul said.

Over the past two years, shows like The Faculty of Fun, Strictly Urban and Quicksilver have been playing the music the students want to hear, while also giving them a place to announce their activities and talk about student issues and problems, he pointed out.

Deejay Jonathan Galea said that students were expecting more commercial music, not less.

"If the ratings were low, it is because I believe the station wasn't plugged enough," he said.

When contacted, station manager Vicky Spiteri said audience ratings for the drive time shows over the past two years were minimal.

Ms Spiteri strongly refuted comments that Campus FM was not catering for students.

Only last Thursday morning, the station had a KSU representative talking about the council's plans for this year.

International relations students are currently producing a programme where they discuss a different international situation each week. Foreign students have also taken part in another programme on which they talk about the media structures in their country of origin.

Plans for more student programmes for the October schedule were still on line, Ms Spiteri explained.

Campus FM also offers students and their organisations free promotion, advertising and airtime. It has also sponsored a number of student parties during Freshers' Week.

"The station is also a university lab. We service hundreds of students yearly by providing studio time and technical assistance for assignments, theses, final projects and any other help they would need for academic purposes," Ms Spiteri said.