Stations merge students’ talent

Skiff Staff

Students listening to KKMR-FM 93.3 “Merge” radio station, one of the leading radio stations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, may hear some familiar voices.

Some student disc jockeys who have gotten their start at KTCU-FM 88.7 “The Choice” are now crossing over from small-time college radio to the professional local station.

Tim Cox - Skiff Staff Joey Shouse, a junior radio-TV-film major, plays music for KTCU 88.7 FM “The Choice.” Some students such as Dave Kindred, a junior radio-TV-film major, and alumnus Chip Adams, who both work for KKMR 93.3 FM, had their starts at KTCU.

Dave Kindred, a junior radio-TV-film major, is the program director for KTCU. He also works as a on-air disc jockey for Merge from 6 to 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Kindred said he has only worked there for a couple of months, but he said he stays busy juggling the two jobs and going to school. He said that during the week, he is in charge of the music directors, coordinates the shows and oversees the music played on KTCU.

“Sometimes I feel like I have too many oars in the water, but I absolutely love the jobs, and I really enjoy radio,” he said.

Kindred said the radio station is a part of the sixth largest market for radio in the nation, playing a mix between 1980s and ‘90s alternative rock and the popular alternative rock of today.

Andy Haskett, a radio-TV-film professor and the station manager for KTCU, said the music KTCU plays in the evenings is similar to the music played on Merge.

“I think the radio station hired (TCU students) because the people (at Merge) are confident about the students’ personalities, and know they are familiar with what the targeted audiences want to hear,” Haskett said.

TCU has had a history of former students who have worked for the rock radio station, including alumnus Chip Adams.

Adams, known for his show “Night Merge with Chip Adams,” and Jay Sanchez, production manager at Merge, helped make the connection between Kindred, Pauli Wright, a junior radio-TV-film major, and 93.3 FM.

Haskett said Sanchez asked him to let some experienced students know about the job opportunity.

“I mentioned the job to a few of my top students and told them to give the radio station a call,” Haskett said. “Little did I know that they all would get hired for the job.”

Adams and Sanchez were unavailable for comment.

Wright, music director for KTCU, said she has worked at the Merge’s switchboards for certain events for a month and a half. She said she expects to have her first on-air show sometime next weekend.

“This is a wonderful job that teaches you a lot about responsibility and a lot about production,” Wright said. “I may have less of a social life now, but it is an amazing opportunity for Dave and I, being that we are so young and still in school.”

Wright said working for the radio station allows her to bring her basic understanding of how things run professionally while still having fun.
“It is a great place to be able to show off your talent, and it will look good on my résumé,” she said.

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