Chapter 20
WIDB LOST BATTLE BUT WAR IS JUST BEGINNING

The WIDB Advertising proposal, the massive sales campaign to sell commercials, WIDB’s financial security and even short term prospects for financial survival ended at the end of the transcript. The official term was “died for lack of a second.”

Joel had failed. He placed his faith in his hopes that the board members would understand logic and efficiency and be impressed by Joel’s complete razor-sharp professional presentation. He was right about that–the members were impressed and did understand the logic and efficiency of the station paying for itself. Joel knew he had beaten the president’s office and George Mace on this one.

But Joel underestimated the deference the board would show to area broadcasters and how that would completely blot out any consideration of student needs. Joel was not fully conversant with the close-knit social-economic fabric among white males born 1910-1930 in southern small towns. This is where these board members grew up. Almost all of them were from towns across Illinois such as Harrisburg, Carmi, and Edwardsville.

Your author is far from an expert, but has observed that there seemed to be an unwritten more for locals to draw together against “outsiders” and help each other to secure and/or maintain economic benefits for local and connected residents. That is how Southern Illinois University had been built in the 50’s and 60’s. During that time, when SIU wanted to expand, then President Morris would personally visit the landowner to make a handshake deal. There was an unstated promise that SIU would never force its hand with area locals, but SIU would use its force and power against students to assist or protect area residents.

Thus, the forced departure of President Morris (for “betraying” the locals during the riots by not having all students arrested and jailed), the selection of Morris’ replacement David R. Derge, who immediately started the university’s “War on students”, and, later that same year, the police attack on the dorms, the beating of WIDB newsman Ron Kritzman, censorship of student copying, the deliberate sabotage of the FY1973 Student Fee Allocations, and the denial of WIDB’s Advertising proposal. Only after many decades has this come into perspective, but from today’s vantage point they all seem connected.

Notice in the transcript that when the local broadcasters come in, there is a social discussion. Apparently the entire board proceeding was held up because they were over 30 minutes late. The trustees stated that they “hoped the broadcasters liked the campus.” It sounded so folksy and down home. It would not be surprising if many of the broadcasters and trustees were in clubs together, such as golf, country, Lions, Rotary, etc. or church, or school, (or their wives were) and had had relationships for decades. The worst thing the trustees could do for their social or political futures was to come down against these good ol’ local broadcast magnates. That is not done in small town scenarios, because it always comes back around.

But coming down against students? They were outsiders, not politically connected, didn’t know anybody. So there was no problem. Thus, no one asked Joel how he liked the campus, and Joel was cross-examined tag team for 30 minutes.

Too bad Joel was not allowed a rebuttal after the area broadcasters. After they claimed that they had credibility due to their broadcast training and experience, they determined that only credentialed professors in a structured ciriculum could properly teach broadcasting, (never a place like WIDB). None of these broadcasters ever attended even one class from a credentialed professor in a structured ciriculum, so they either had no credibility or were living proof they were wrong.

And wasn’t it hilarious when none of these bozos had any idea what they were talking about with ASACAP BMI etc. fees and licensing? The station was paying the fee at the time, and George Mace, trying to impress the trustees with his monitoring of WIDB’s finances, had absolutely no idea what WIDB had or what it was paying for. It had been in the budget for years. And the broadcasters are trying to scare the board that ASCAP and BMI required “records” and “audits.” They thought it was about accounting for money! Actually the “records” are the playlists, and the “audits” are spot-check shadow playlist to be sure reporting is accurate (which might be done at WLS but never at a place like WIDB).

And when Ivan Elliott Jr. (he was from Carmi) is complaining to Joel about too many popcorn breaks on TV, especially during the Olympics, so WIDB should not advertise, it shows how disconnected at least some of the trustees were to what was happening at SIU.

So in the wisdom of the 1972 Board of Trustees, advertising in the DE was no problem. advertising at the Arena and in game programs, media guides broadcasts, etc. was no problem. Why? Because these were local connected people, nobody complained (because they were local connected people) and nobody asked permission. Those were the real reasons, but no one could say that on the record.

Meanwhile NOBODY from WIDB was local connected people. And WIDB asked permission. WIDB, in perception thru local filters of the time, bore far more resemblance to the proverbial “drug-crazed hippie outside agitators” who busted windows downtown, and who were perceived as solely responsible for the riots and the closing of the school.

Joel was very far from looking or acting like a drug crazed hippie agitator, but there were only 2 categories: (A) Good ol’ local boys asking for a favor; or (B) Drug crazed hippie. There was no (C) Erstwhile students assertively requesting the university to deliver on its promise to provide education and experience. Joel could not be a good ol’ boy, so he had to be the enemy.

The broadcasters tried in thinly veiled ways to fan these flames. Paul McCroy quoting the WIDB working papers, expressed concern that it was WIDB’s policy “to air commentaries on issues or events of campus or national interest.” McCroy says “{This} would cause me considerable concern if I was sitting where you (trustees) are.” He is suggesting that the trustees should be disregarding University policies, as well as the Illinois and even the US Constitution in favoring the whims of locals against student outsiders. There was also a reference to “Senator” Gene John Richard Darby (he would be a state senator) attending one of the broadcasters meetings in 1971, which implies that the broadcasters can put “legislative heat” on the board members.

These points were not directly responded to at the meeting, but the university almost immediately moved to silence WIDB forever by cutting off funding, refusing to allow sale of commercials, and demanding WIDB pay money it did not have to “use” its own space. It was going to be war, the battle lines were drawn, and Fall Quarter was just starting.

Just at this time, Mace announced the results of his “ballots” to determine student fee allocation. Predictably, the official announcement was that only 12% of the ballots were returned. Mace’s office refused to let anyone inspect the ballots. Ignoring his promise to disregard the results if less than 50% were returned, Mace decided that 12% was “good enough” and he would determine the allocations based on that.

Mace decided that instead of the $18,000 that Student Government wanted WIDB to have, WIDB would get $6225. For the year. A 67% reduction. Enough to fund WIDB for about a quarter.

Meanwhile Mace’s office announced that it would seek an “immediate reduction” in the student activity fee to be charged in order to decrease all allocations 20% further and withhold all funds indefinitely until this could be resolved, (which could be months).

So WIDB’s allocation was further reduced to $5005. WIDB would be off the air within weeks. There is no other conclusion to draw that this was done intentionally to get rid of WIDB.

At this point, WIDB had been prohibited from selling, even doing trade-outs (ie. run commercials in exchange for tickets or merchandise to give to listeners), and now the administration was withholding its duly-allocated budget. Involved at every step was President Derge’s fair-haired “special assistant” George Mace, who was promoted every time he sabotaged student efforts.

The SIU administration was trying to kill WIDB by refusing to fund WIDB and preventing WIDB from selling commercials to fund itself. This was done two ways: (1) Deliberate and calculated sabotage and embargo of student activity fee allocations for FY 73: and (2) Deliberate and calculated obfuscation and stalling on WIDB’s proposal to sell advertising.

The solution had to be the selling of time. WIDB could not go on every year with these administrative funding sabotage games.

At this time, mid-September, 1972, your author’s attention was very far away from Joel’s efforts and the crisis facing WIDB. Your author came to SIU a week early and stayed at the station with Todd Cave, Music Director to get the station ready to hit the air. We did production, carted music, practice shows, wrote copy, helped test equipment, etc. While Joel and Robbie were at the meeting, your author (after one year in school and at age 18) was moving into his off-campus apartment with 3 roomates.

But shortly thereafter, there was a very sad meeting at the station. Frank Mazzocco quit as News Director to become the same at WSIU. Your author was devastated by this, as Frank was one of WIDB’s best teachers and News Directors. Sam was mad, as usual, but this time he really had a good reason. Allan J. Friedman’s famous quote “The station will never get sales,” came at that time. For those in the inner circle, or who otherwise were up to date, it was a very sad time.

But even though this was only the third September where there was a WIDB to greet students, everyone seemed to know about WIDB, especially on campus, and especially on east campus. The transmitters were working good, this was the first school year starting with WIDB on in the Student Center and on the cable for off-campus coverage. It seemed like there were oodles of listeners. Applicants for news, DJ, sports, everything, were streaming in. Many had to audition multiple times before acceptance.

This reminded all of us that WIDB was important to a lot of people and they wanted it to keep going. It was not just about the WIDB members. This planted a seed in Joel’s mind.

As the quarter started, Joel immediately went on the warpath with on-air attacks against George Mace. Twice an hour a “PSA” was read about how Mace had thrown out the Student Fee decisions and refused to fund WIDB and other important student clubs. The listener was urged to call the “Mace Fee-back line” at WIDB to record their angst for Mace. and we would air these every hour. (Kind of like on the old WCFL News “talk back” line). Here is an edited excerpt from Fall 72 including the “Mini-Cool Munchie Contest” with Cheech & Chong and a rare “Underground” break with Walt Leisering (who eventually replaced Todd as Music Director), in his first few weeks at WIDB:

This shows there was an even greater “hotbed of activity” just a week into the quarter. Even as there were staff changes (Cliff Albert became News Director) there were production, on-air shifts and promotion to do. One of the great promotions conceived by Jim Rohr was the table tents promoting WIDB for Grinnell and Trueblood. They sat on the tables and everyone stared at them while they ate. And every single person there could receive the station. But even as programming improved and listenership increased, WIDB was about to run out of money. Joel had to beat the drums to get everyone ready for battle because the survival of WIDB, at its peak, was at stake.

Joel sent a scathing letter to (now) Dr. Mace with thinly veiled threats. But WIDB was not the only ones pissed at Mace. Remember, Mace had sabotaged the allocations for ALL Student Activities. Each and every student organization hated Mace and united against him. The Egyptian ran daily articles about the hardships to student clubs and activities, halting of free drug testing (not what you think–the purpose of this testing was to be sure drugs were pure so there were no “bad trips”). WIDB regularly ran reports about possible lawsuits and student protests of Mace’s actions.

Only 2 months before, Joel was meeting with Mace in his office and Joel congratulated Mace on his promotion and ended the letter “Cordially.” Now Joel was threatening Mace’s (which meant President Derge’s) survival. The gloves had come off.

Most WIDB staff members (and ALL staff heads) supported Joel’s efforts. A few members believed Joel’s approach was too extreme and would lead to WIDB’s demise, that WIDB existed at the whim of the university, so Joel should obey Mace, give up, and hope WIDB gets money from somewhere. Alan J. Friedman may have been the finest news announcer WIDB ever had, but he was very pessimistic about WIDB’s future. “The station will NEVER get sales.” Al would say over and over. “They will shut it down first.” But Al still did his news shifts. Other than Frank, almost no one else left WIDB due to its failure to win approval for sales.

There were now two WIDB main purposes: (1) To be a radio station serving students; and (2) Administrative war campaign for WIDB’s survival. SIU administrators expected Joel and WIDB to give up and go away. Instead, this activated the slumbering mass of students (which is exactly what the “War on Students” was supposed to prevent) and even more foreboding to the administrators, it activated Joel’s genius.