Thank You WKCR 89.9FM
WKCR's coverage of Columbia's protests is student journalism at its finest
After guest programming on WKCR-NY two weeks ago, I meant to write a post reflecting on my time co-hosting and my overwhelmingly positive experience researching, programming, and broadcasting. While writing, I knew I couldn't talk about KCR without acknowledging the high level of journalism coming out of their station as they cover the ongoing protests and encampments on Columbia University's campus, which began shortly after the Sunday Profile. I hoped to post my original piece today or tomorrow, but centering that narrative, especially considering the events that unfolded today (the evening of April 30th), feels wrong. Though my original post will be up in the coming days, I want to take this time to bring your attention to WKCR, their reporting, and the invaluable work of student journalists. They deserve more than a brief mention for their dedication, and so this post will be one in dedication to the team of reporters working diligently for the last two weeks and the amazing volunteers who make WKCR a pillar of radio.
The following is how I planned to begin my original post. All links to WKCR’s site will be updated as soon as they are back online.
Two weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of guest programming a Sunday Profile on WKCR. Accompanying my co-host Stephen Park, we spent five hours playing and discussing Ray Barretto's music. Before I get into my experience programming the show and researching Ray, It would be remiss not to sing the praises of WKCR as a station, their continued significance, and the incredible work they are doing covering the ongoing protests at Columbia.
WKCR: The SparkNotes Version
WKCR (Kings Crown Radio) has a storied history, beginning in the late 1930s as the Columbia University Radio Club. Eventually, they began radio broadcasts in 1941 and, by 1956, started transmission through their current FM signal, 89.9. Throughout their time on air, WKCR has broadcasted a wide range of music, talk radio, and relevant Columbia news. The station is well known for its focus on jazz and the impact of the late great Phil Schapp. KCR annually hosts 24-hour birthday broadcasts for jazz legends like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Charlie Parker. I’m just scratching the surface regarding their incredible programming and importance to not only the larger New York Metropolitan area but also the world. You can read more about their station history here.
The 68’ Protests
If you spend enough time at KCR or around Columbia, you’ll hear about the “68’ Protests.” 1968 was a significant turning point for the station and for the university. Students occupied several campus buildings to protest Columbia’s connection to the Institute for Defense Analyses, a think tank researching weapons strategy for the Vietnam War, and the possible gentrification of a public park in Harlem to build a segregated gymnasium. The first round of the 1968 protests lasted one month and three days, from March 27th to April 30th, 1968, and ended when the NYPD violently intervened, using tear gas and arresting over 700 protesters. WKCR was there to cover the demonstrations with only a brief interruption when Columbia administration ordered the station to suspend their broadcast. The coverage of the 1968 protests, despite the complications of 24-hour coverage and frustration from university admin, is still a source of pride for the station. Now, in 2024, we find ourselves at an eerily similar crossroads. This online exhibition, “1968: Columbia in Crisis,” curated by Joycelen Wilks, gives an overview of the demonstrations, including photos and a timeline.
CUAD Occupations and the Call for Divestment
On April 17th, 2024, around 4:30 in the morning, CUAD (Columbia University Apartheid Divest) began occupying the East Lawn of the campus, demanding the University divest from companies profiting off the ongoing crisis in Palestine. Now, almost two weeks later, the station has maintained round-the-clock coverage of the protests with several field reporters acting as eyewitnesses to significant changes, including the first presence of the NYPD on campus after the O.K. from President Minouche Shafik, which led to the arrests of 100+ student protesters on April 18th. I’ve been listening to WKCR every day since the occupation began and have a constant sense of pride regarding the level of journalism coming from their station. Keep in mind, all the journalists reporting are students, which gave them access other press organizations did not have since the campus was closed to those without a Columbia University ID during parts of the occupation. Their dedication to covering this story with integrity, honesty, and care is evident, especially as they make do by using 40-minute free Zoom meetings to stay connected with each other. If you’re looking for accurate reporting on the situation and not listening to WKCR, you’re missing out and most likely engaging with biased coverage that relies on WKCR as a primary source.
All of this is to say that WKCR is something special. Not simply because of their contribution to the music world or their dedicated listeners but because of the team of student programmers and reporters volunteering their time and their willingness to go above and beyond to provide meaningful broadcasts to the world. I feel lucky to have been a guest programmer and hopefully live up to the high standard set by the station when I profiled Ray Barretto on April 14th.
Donate to KCR if you can here. They do not receive any funding from Columbia, and could use a hand.
Now, as I attempt to process the hours of reporting from this evening (April 30th) detailing the police once again entering Columbia’s campus to arrest protesters, I still feel great pride in KCR mixed with frustration and disgust with the situation on campus. Reports from WKCR student journalists included details of other students being barricaded into their dorms, threats of arrest to student journalists if they left Pulitzer Hall, a sea of NYPD, and the removal of press and legal observers from campus in what seems like an effort to keep documentation of the night’s events minimal. Throughout the broadcast, you could hear the team of 18 journalists adapting to the ever-changing situation with grace. Some were forced to stay on campus for hours with nowhere to go, knowing that if they left, they wouldn’t be able to get back on campus to continue coverage. Others were clearly emotional about the decision to keep police presence on campus through the end of the semester and past commencement. Their dedication to keeping their listeners informed while fighting for their right to report, literally running towards action, and maintaining respect for each other and their craft is unlike anything I’ve experienced.
Over the last two weeks, I’ve thought about how never in my life have I been so tied down to my radio, and this is coming from someone who listens to the radio regularly and reports for a radio station, which for decades was the primary source of news, entertainment, and connection for people. When I wake up, the first thing I do is turn my stereo on to WKCR, and when I leave the room, I tune the other radios in my house and car to the station. I haven’t wanted to miss a thing, and the journalists have offered such compelling work that turning the dial doesn’t even feel like an option. This evening was no different as I sat on my bedroom floor, attempting to process the details of the police descent on campus. Honestly, I felt scared. The reporters are all still students, making them a few years younger than me, and so are many of the protesters. They’re kids. It’s funny how college students are looked at as kids when they make mistakes that prop up white supremacist culture or the patriarchy, but adults when they push the bounds of our world and dedicate themselves to reporting the truth they see with their own eyes. These students deserve so much grace and yet operate on a level of professionalism without modern broadcasting equipment to connect them. They relied on their personal cell phones, free Zoom calls, and battery packs. Remember, they don’t get funding from Columbia, so they raise money to maintain/update their equipment.
The sliver of good news before going off the air for the night at 1:19 am was the safety and reunion of the 18-person team in their studio. Teddy, who had been vocal about the trauma and difficulty of the last two weeks on the entire group, let the listeners know that everyone was back and safe, including field reporter Casey, whose birthday came at midnight and is welcoming his 20th year after not having slept in over 30 hours. You could hear the relief and joy in their voices now that they were all together after negotiating with public safety and the respect and love they have for each other. To close, at least for the time being, each reporter shared their name and some of their class year.
WKCR has 336+ hours of coverage, all thanks to their hard work.
Here are the names of the reporters said on air. If any of you read this, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your excellent reporting, and your journalism inspires me.
Teddy, Georgia, Tanvi, Sarah, Maria, Macy, Natalie, Ian, Ella, Ben, Casey, Sawyer, Mckenna, Leon, Ted, David, Perry, and Ale. Thank you.
Follow WKCR on ig at WKCR and donate to their station here, and support college radio.
-Emily
Edit: An earlier version of this post mentioned the use of tear gas in clearing the Hamilton Hall Occupation and West Lawn Settlement on April 30th,2024. NBC News is reporting that no tear gas was used, but distraction devices were thrown and made loud noises.