{"id":584,"date":"2019-02-12T15:37:28","date_gmt":"2019-02-12T15:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/02\/12\/2019212the-fate-of-am-1220-wqun\/"},"modified":"2020-09-05T19:36:48","modified_gmt":"2020-09-05T19:36:48","slug":"2019212the-fate-of-am-1220-wqun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/2019\/02\/12\/2019212the-fate-of-am-1220-wqun\/","title":{"rendered":"The fate of AM-1220 WQUN"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">By Marissa Davis<\/p>\n<div\n        class=\"\n          image-block-outer-wrapper\n          layout-caption-below\n          design-layout-inline\n          combination-animation-none\n          individual-animation-none\n          individual-text-animation-none\n        \"\n        data-test=\"image-block-inline-outer-wrapper\"\n    ><\/p>\n<figure\n            class=\"\n              sqs-block-image-figure\n              intrinsic\n            \"\n            style=\"max-width:1600.0px;\"\n        ><\/p>\n<div\n              \n                style=\"padding-bottom:66.4375%;\"\n              \n              class=\"\n                image-block-wrapper\n                \n          \n        \n                has-aspect-ratio\n              \"\n              data-animation-role=\"image\"\n              \n  \n\n          ><br \/>\n            <noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WQUN%2B1.jpg\" alt=\"(Photo courtesy of Logan Reardon)\" \/><\/noscript><img class=\"thumb-image\" data-src=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WQUN%2B1.jpg\" data-image=\"http:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WQUN%2B1.jpg\" data-image-dimensions=\"1600x1063\" data-image-focal-point=\"0.5,0.5\" alt=\"(Photo courtesy of Logan Reardon)\" data-load=\"false\" data-image-id=\"5c62f222971a184db3d0b81a\" data-type=\"image\" \/>\n          <\/div><figcaption class=\"image-caption-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-caption\">\n<p>(Photo courtesy of Logan Reardon)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The general manager of the Quinnipiac student-run radio station has accused the university of \u201cturning its back\u201d on students interested in the field in moving to close its community radio station, AM-1220 WQUN. <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">General manager of WQAQ Emma Spagnuolo tweeted \u201cRight now it seems like @QuinnipiacU is turning its back on so many students who are interested in radio or other forms of audio journalism. I hope this doesn\u2019t discourage students from pursuing this field. Radio isn\u2019t dying. It\u2019s evolving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I hope so. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/judyolian?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@judyolian<\/a>\u2019s remarks earlier proved it\u2019s unlikely she\u2019ll change her mind on closing the station. Right now it seems like <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/QuinnipiacU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@QuinnipiacU<\/a> is turning its back on so many students who are interested in radio or other forms of audio journalism&#8230; (1\/2) <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/FDBiYRuLAC\">https:\/\/t.co\/FDBiYRuLAC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Emma Spagnuolo (@emmarosespags) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/emmarosespags\/status\/1093299379086209027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 7, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I hope this doesn\u2019t discourage students from pursuing this field. Radio isn\u2019t dying. It\u2019s evolving. (2\/2)<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Emma Spagnuolo (@emmarosespags) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/emmarosespags\/status\/1093299529472974849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 7, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI\u2019m incredibly upset about it,\u201d Spagnuolo said. \u201cThis semester, WQAQ has 60 radio shows that air every week and there\u2019s one hundred DJs that broadcast. We also have more members on top of that who are more behind the scenes production people&#8230;so there\u2019s a lot of students that are interested in radio.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Spagnuolo said that she thinks there are questions going unanswered.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI had a lot of members really express their frustration to me,\u201d she said. \u201cWhich is why I finally decided to take to Twitter to just try and demand some answers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Spagnuolo is not the only one who is disappointed with the university\u2019s decision. <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Long-standing member of the Hamden Regional Chamber of Commerce and 30-year resident of Hamden Lew Nescott shared Spagnuolo\u2019s disappointment.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cHer [President Judy Olian] decision to close AM 1220 lacked substantive inputs from the communities who are also active listeners and consumers of the products and services advertised on the station,\u201d Nescott said. \u201cDr. Olian needs to understand that she is the Chief Steward of a great university where full disclosure and open-debate are the ways in which you conduct business.\u201d <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Quinnipiac University vice president for Public Affairs Lynn Bushnell, released a memo regarding the future of Quinnipiac\u2019s Greater New Haven community radio station&#8211;AM-1220 WQUN on Jan.11, 2019. The memo stated that the radio station will cease operations June 30, 2019, and that the building and property located on Whitney Avenue will be \u201cretained and repurposed as part of the strategic planning process.\u201d <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Bushnell cited changes in the radio industry, specifically AM radio, saying that the number of students who consider careers in radio or want to intern at WQUN has dropped. Bushnell said that the closing will, \u201cshift resources to more closely match the ever-changing needs and interests of our students.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The decision comes as a surprise to members of the Hamden community. WQUN has been operating since 1997 and has become a source for news, weather and community updates. It acted as a link between the Hamden community and the Quinnipiac student population.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">According to \u2018News Generation\u2019 93 percent of people listen to AM\/FM radio over the airwaves. This is higher than TV viewership (88 percent), PC use (50 percent), smartphone use (83 percent), and tablet use (37 percent).<\/p>\n<p data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\n<p>   <iframe title=\"Chart: Media Use Across Mediums\" aria-describedby=\"\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-x2nkf\" src=\"\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/x2nkf\/1\/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important;\" height=\"500\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">!function(){\"use strict\";window.addEventListener(\"message\",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"])for(var t in a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"]){var e=document.getElementById(\"datawrapper-chart-\"+t);e&&(e.style.height=a.data[\"datawrapper-height\"][t]+\"px\")}})}();<\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Olian held a \u2018State of the QUnion\u2019 address in order to respond to students\u2019 questions and listen to their feedback and ideas Wednesday, Feb. 6, during this, she addressed students\u2019 concern about the station. <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWhen we established WQUN we did it because of the learning objectives of our students in communications that they were doing internships and really preparing for careers in AM broadcasting. For the last few years we\u2019ve only had one or two interns that have actually applied for the role\u201d said Olian. <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cDr. Olian generally asserts that only one to two students applied for internships at the station over the last few years.\u201d But Nescot disagreed, \u201cI can tell you at last report, if you get on their Facebook page, there are currently three students at AM 1220.\u201d <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The Hamden community utilizes WQUN when there are emergencies in the town or when residents lose power. <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cWhen Hamden had a tornado that touched down this past May, AM 1220 WQUN was providing updates, literally tactical updates about where to go, where not to go and those can have sometimes life-bearing consequences,\u201d said Nescott. \u201cIn terms of serving as a critical community link in the best of times and in the not so best of times, they\u2019ve been there.\u201d <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">While many of the station members are not Quinnipiac students, there are a few students who have interned and continue to work at the station. Dan Bahl is a Quinnipiac student that works as a fill-in color commentator for Quinnipiac hockey games and as a studio producer for WQUN. <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI love it,\u201d Bahl said. \u201cThe people that I\u2019ve met there have been fantastic. I\u2019ve had nothing but positive experiences there. It\u2019s a great group of people. I\u2019m lucky to be able to work there for the short time that I have.\u201d <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Bahl suggested that the university could use WQUN to its advantage. <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI think that they should be using it as more of a tool for the journalism department here, I mean, I work for WQUN but that was just because I got lucky. I think it should kind of be the next step after doing student radio.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">There SHOULD be a pipeline between <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/QUJournalism?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@QUJournalism<\/a>\/<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WQAQradio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@WQAQradio<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wqunnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@wqunnews<\/a>. Deserving students SHOULD be actively interning, producing and even anchoring at WQUN.<\/p>\n<p>But instead, there&#39;s no pipeline, and little student presence. That&#39;s not on WQUN. That&#39;s on Quinnipiac. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/BjZ5jJP27q\">https:\/\/t.co\/BjZ5jJP27q<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dan Bahl (@danbahl) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/danbahl\/status\/1093270592005066757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">In response to Quinnipiac\u2019s decision, another life-long Hamden resident decided to take to the community to express her disappointment. Holly Masi created a petition to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepetitionsite.com\/995\/100\/776\/save-wqun-am1220-radio\/\" target=\"_blank\">save WQUN<\/a> on thepetitionsite.com. The petition currently has over 800 supporters. <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI really hope that the outcry from the students and the public and the business community and the town leaders would actually make them rethink the decision and try to find a different way to make it work,\u201d Masi said. <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Masi knows firsthand the benefits that working and interning at a radio station can provide.<\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">\u201cI myself am a product of college radio,\u201d said Masi. \u201cI learned a lot from working both at college radio and I did internships and I worked in a radio station. And I learned so much from that experience that I still have those relationships to this day.\u201d <\/p>\n<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">The decision to shut down WQUN has caused public outcry, within the university community as well as within the Hamden town community. The university administration has until June 30 to reverse its decision and save a radio station that for many, is much more than just a radio station.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p style=\"white-space:pre-wrap;\">Quinnipiac president Judy Olian has crafted a strategic plan that involves cutting ties with the WQUN radio station. Here are the reactions of students and locals about this announcement. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":72,"featured_media":585,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,142,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-584","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hamden","category-homepage","category-quinnipiac"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/72"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=584"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2320,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/584\/revisions\/2320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hqnn.org\/hqpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}