No freedom for KBEACH, says Board of Control

The dispute between media giants Time Warner Inc. and Walt Disney Co. shut down cable systems, inconveniencing thousands of customers. Customer service and lost advertising money took second place to a power struggle.

The Associated Students Inc.'s attempt to control KBEACH is as tyrannical as the media struggle that Disney claims will prevent AOL/Time Warner from controlling what the public sees and hears. Time Warner claims Disney is blackmailing them to force an agreement. A.S.I. vice president Sheryl "Shorty" Maurico's statement that the station will have more financial obligations if they leave A.S.I.'s protection sounds like blackmail.

The cable subscribers are in the middle. They are being squeezed.

Likewise, fee-paying students are in the middle of the dispute between A.S.I. and the radio station.

Again the Board of Control has taken control of a situation involving student money and choice. Who has the power here?

The student-run KBEACH radio station requested that the Associated Students Inc. allow them to be an independent student organization. The A.S.I. took a vote -- four members said no and one couldn't decide. Therefore, no independence was granted to KBEACH.

The station was willing to make a deal with the station to cover the pre-election debates, Senate meetings and events in the University Student Union. All the station's management wants is freedom to broadcast "in an environment that promotes an independent voice."

The chief administrator of A.S.I., Richard Haller said there was no evidence of past censorship or interference and that the station does have control of its programming.

The denial was based on a lack of evidence that the A.S.I. practiced censorship or tried to control the station's output.

The question is how does KBEACH provide evidence if it is controlled?

A.S.I. should grant KBEACH independence. Other than having control of another campus organization, there is no logical reason for the radio station not to be independently run.