After decades of struggling to find an efficient method of reaching listeners, UCLAradio has turned to its new iPhone and iPod touch application as a beacon of hope.
The application, which was launched early last week, allows students to listen to a live feed from the radio’s website, said radio assistant general manager John Masline.
Currently, UCLAradio produces live news and comedy shows, student DJs playing music and a looped playlist that plays at night and during any gaps in programming. The station also broadcasts the Daily Bruin’s two weekly radio programs, “Long Story Short” and “Overtime with Daily Bruin Sports.”
The online radio feed has between a dozen to 80 listeners depending on the show or time slot, Masline said. Radio shows with prize giveaways have drawn the most listeners.
UCLAradio is unable to have a station because the high demand for radio channels in Los Angeles leaves no frequencies available, said Arvli Ward, director of student media. The organization has had to turn to unconventional methods to provide an outlet for listeners.
Over the years, the organization tried implementing portable antennas and wiring elevator shafts for radio, Ward said.
“These were all completely unsatisfactory methods,” he added. “They were guerilla style tactics for getting listeners.”
Despite UCLA’s troubles with getting a radio frequency, other Los Angeles schools such as Loyola Marymount University and USC have channels on FM stations.
To help balance out the costs of these stations, the schools frequently hold fundraisers to help raise money from their listeners in the neighborhood, said Daniel Lees, promotions director for LM Radio, which received its station more than 50 years ago.
For UCLAradio, the change to having an online-only radio in the 1990s brought its own problems in terms of gaining listenership, Masline said.
“It isn’t a normal radio where you can just passively turn it on and start listening. People have to actively go online, go to the website and turn it on to listen,” he said.
Some students said that although they do not currently listen to UCLAradio, the availability of the application may make them more inclined to because of its easy accessibility.
“It’s a bit of a hassle currently, getting to the radio website and downloading the link, but with an application, it’s just a click away,” said Kylie Wilson, a second-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student.
The iPhone application’s easy accessibility means students won’t need to have a laptop or wireless internet to listen, Masline said.
As of Saturday, the application had slightly more than 40 downloads. Half were international users, Ward said.
For now, the application only offers a live feed from the website, but an expanded version with archived shows and DJ biographies is planned, along with similar applications for BlackBerry and Android phones, Masline said.