Since its reception is pretty limited, do you feel that KPSU's impact is primarily within the radius around campus?
The 1450 AM band that we are so lucky to lease from KBPS (in a time of absurd deregulation by the FCC) reaches well into and past Vancouver, WA and around Gresham. However, yeah, the limits of an AM band on limited hours makes it tough to get the appeal of FM's crisper stereo sound. We do, however, also broadcast on the internet, and if things go the way we hope, that could be a better market in the future than AM or FM.
In the early days of indie music, college radio played an essential role in establishing a network of support for bands that were otherwise too small to obtain a national following. What role do you feel college radio plays in our current music scene?
With the drastic change in the music industry over the past decades and increasing abilities through available technologies of small labels, and individuals, to distribute product, there is more hope for these artists. However, with that comes the over-saturation of a market that has always had more supply than demand. The role of college radio is to provide ONE of many perspectives that might not otherwise get attention.
You're a pretty active member of Portland's music scene, anything you'd change?
Ironically, with all the music available from within itself, Portland often doesn't recognize a given artist until that artist gains notoriety elsewhere. If I could change anything about the music scene, it would be to change the media and how it seems so self-fulfilling. Universally there appears to be a conflict of interest between those who create the buzz and those who report on it.
Can you elaborate on that comment?
Well, not to name names, but look who the music editors are for these "indie" papers and how tightly connected they are to local bands. It's cool to write for the Mercury or Willamette Week, but where is the line drawn between being buddies with the Decemberists, Talkdemonic, or the Thermals, and hard reporting? I just wish those reporting on the underground could step outside of their own shoes and report on scenes outside of the safe bets at places like the Doug Fir.
