Radio

KCR, the San Diego State University radio station that broadcasts around-the-clock alternative music, has lost its funding subsidies and loans from the Associated Students Finance Board.

“They should be subsidizing themselves by now,” said Dawn Scott, KCR ad hoc chairwoman and representative to Associated Students, in explaining why the funds have been cut off. “They even predicted, several years ago, that they would one day be making $20,000.”

KCR, which broadcasts on Cox Cable 99 FM and Southwestern Cable 96 FM, was subsidized $1,600 and granted a $7,000 loan yearly by the Associated Students Finance Board.

The station has reportedly only been able to repay its debt to the Associated Students once during its 17-year existence.

“We have always had a problem paying back the debt each year,” KCR general manager Jeff Ramirez said. “This is the first year that we didn’t put up much of a fight when the board wanted to cut funding. They don’t realize what a bad move this is. For broadcasting students, working at KCR is one of the only ways to get experience in the field.”

Ramirez said that the radio station will not close.

“The telecommunications and film department donates our facilities and we own all our own equipment,” he said. “So at least we still have that. We’re going to enforce that all disc jockeys pay dues, hold fund-raisers, benefit concerts and start an alumni association.

“It’s kind of a relief to have lost the funding,” Ramirez said. “We’ll have to work a lot harder, but no one will be able to dictate what kind of music we have to play and how we should run the station.”