KBEACH weathers long summer 

The studios of KBEACH are quieter these days.

In the aftermath of a failed proposal for independence and the removal of a general manager, KBEACH, Cal State Long Beach's Internet radio station, will start the fall semester with a clean slate.

"KBEACH is only two-years-old and we still have to deal with all the red tape including how to get new equipment, staff and procedures," said Stacy Odachi, the station's music director. "The biggest thing we have to do is get a general manager and technical director."

KBEACH, located on the first floor of the University Student Union, lobbied for its independence from A.S.I. last spring.

Mike Soultanian, former general manager and KBEACH founder, drafted the initial proposal that was presented to A.S.I. in spring requesting independent student organization status, and rejecting A.S.I.'s installation of Kane Diallo as the station's new general manager.

As a result of the A.S.I. board of control's 4-0-1 vote to deny them independence, the station pulled its Web site off the Internet and most of the staff ended up leaving.

"In a way it was the right thing to do because if we had received our independence we would have gone downhill at first, but with the support we had, we would have made it and morale amongst the staff would have been stronger," Soultanian said. "But now they don't have any morale."

They also do not have a general manager.

A.S.I. removed Diallo at the end of the summer due to lack of qualifications, according to Odachi.

"Kane just didn't work out, but it wasn't our call," Odachi said. "The A.S.I. decides who they want for general manager. They voted for him as the new GM and then they voted him out. We don't have a say in things like that, unfortunately."

In fact, this is part of the reason why Soultanian left the station, however, he said he does not have many regrets.

"I look at it all as a learning experience. It was a great failure and a great success," said Soultanian. "A failure because we didn't plan enough and a success because we brought a radio station to the school."

"Maybe we were fighting things for the wrong reasons," he added. "I don't know what's going to happen now."

Although there are no candidates for general manager, Odachi said the station hopes to find someone within the next couple of months. "We definitely need someone who has electronic/computer as well as management skills," she said.

In addition to their search for a new general manager, KBEACH has seven other openings available: operations manager, technical director, webmaster, broadcast media director, marketing/sales director, radio news director and assistant program director.

Despite the large number of unfilled positions, Odachi said "things will definitely work out."

"Earlier teams got a lot of the basics done, but because of the turnover the new staff has to know which direction we are headed," she said.

Odachi, a senior art history major, is also the interim co-general manager until the position can be filled permanently. "It's hard because I'm not good with electronic and technical things so that's why I'm trying to get a good technical team running," she said.

The station's goals for the future are to "expand the staff, and to possibly get a bigger space for live bands, disc jockeys and other acts," Odachi said.

There will be an open DJ training session Sept. 16, for those interested in either on-air or staff positions.

Chris Lew contributed to this story