It can be an adventure trying to locate Ackerman 2400, the
headquarters of uclaradio.com. The pocket-sized room is nestled
snugly in obscurity much like the department it houses. However,
one step through its door essentially erases all doubts of its
identity and purpose.
A line of shelves with ancient vinyl records runs along a short
corridor that leads to a room decimated with stickers of seemingly
every music artist that ever existed. This is where DJs, both the
hosting kind and the spinning kind, broadcast music through the
Internet and on UCLA television’s Channel 29 every night from
Sunday to Friday.
Despite these outlets, UCLA’s radio department has been a
low-key endeavor, without a true radio signal since its
establishment in 1963. The past few years have seen the
station’s audience count and stature decline. To make matters
worse, the station was temporarily shut down over the summer.
“We could’ve been shut down completely because of
the Library of Congress’ ruling on Webcasting rates,”
General Manager Nichole Benavente said.
The station, KLA, was revived this fall, and despite the drama
that slowed it over the summer, the lighthearted atmosphere at its
headquarters shows the DJs have kept their senses of humor, which
is what Benavente values in a DJ.
On Monday night’s “Shawna and Erin Show,”
which featured an interview and live performance with Orange County
band Get Well Soon, DJs Shawna Spoor and Erin Leigh entertained
audiences with an impromptu online vote for cutest bandmember. The
winner oddly ended up being Artie, the band’s Web site
designer, prompting members to sarcastically lament their perceived
ugliness.
Local artists are essential to the station’s vitality,
offering more incentive for students to tune in. The bands
aren’t just guests, but are responsible for keeping the
station’s pulse from flatlining.
“Bands and guests have their own fan bases so hopefully
they get their fans to log on to our Web site,” Benavente
said. “We had listening parties last year with Something
Corporate and Limbeck. That’s something we’re
definitely going to continue with this year.”
The state of the station bothers the DJs, but it also serves as
their motivation for producing quality content. For Spoor, who also
works in the promotions department, the station’s plight has
only increased her efforts.
“We’re really trying to bring the reputation of
uclaradio.com back to the forefront of UCLA media,” Spoor
said. “We really want students to know it’s here. They
don’t have to listen to KROQ or Power. They can listen to a
radio station where they actually have a say.”
During the show, Spoor and Leigh have what the latter considers
“a love-hate relationship”.
“It’s hard to go on air and talk to no one,”
Spoor said. “When you have somebody in the other booth or
right next to you, it’s a lot easier to get through an hour
and a half.”
Spoor finds special satisfaction in answering listeners’
inquiries about certain songs she just played.
“It’s our duty to expose the population to local
bands that we think are going somewhere,” Spoor said.
“We’re trying our best to spread the indie rock
love.”
To Leigh, it makes no sense that a college radio station in the
entertainment capitol of the world has to scratch and crawl for
support.
“It’s ridiculous how much money people put into
sports, not that it’s bad but there are a lot of people on
campus interested in communications,” she said.
Chris Fort, also known as DJ Raindrop, partakes in live
turntabling on Monday night’s latest show “Under the
Root,” part of the station’s Night School programming.
Instead of indie rock, drum ‘n’ bass is the primary
musical genre of the show. Fort also mixes in some hip-hop and
house. Occasionally, a guest DJ will join Fort in a little duel of
the spinners.
“We operate a bit differently from the rest of the
station,” Fort said. “Generally, during the day, the
shows are more formatted with more talk and a flexible playlist.
Night School consists primarily of DJs playing vinyl, and we focus
a bit more heavily on electronic and independent
hip-hop.”
Recently, Fort has been looking to incorporate political and
philosophical discussions, combining music and forum debates with
guests.
After transferring from El Camino City College in 1999, Fort
decided to join the station because of his desire to acclimate
himself within the UCLA community.
“I had just started spinning so I figured I’d meet
people there who could help me learn,” Fort said.
“Basically, it just seemed like the perfect spot for me to
grow. It’s an outlet for me to play the music I love for
people I go to school with.”