/ , 60th Year, No. ;3 GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, WASHINGTON, D.C. Friday, February 2, 1979 Plug Pulled on GTB; Hundreds Protest Closing by Alan Fogg their entry. some kind, it just docsn't belong here." Pleading to the crowd to remain cool Administration officials this week and organized, station staff members also contended that continued opera­ "This is WGTB-FM, owned and suggested they march to Federal Com­ tion of the station was fi nanciallv un­ operated by the President and Directors munications Commission (FCC) head­ feasible. Director of Public Rcl~tions of Georgetown College for Georgetown quarters at 19th and M Sts. With ban­ Brent Breedin said "the three Vice­ University in Washington. D,C., going ners in hand proclaiming "Fr. Healy in Presidents who reallv control the bud­ off the air. , . forever. With that, l"d just Top 40 Hell" and "God loves WGTB," gets (Kclley. McCarthy and McNulty) like to thank evcrybody who's listened approximately 300 of the faithful felt that the money going to WGTB to me over the past 2 years." headed down 0 St. could be bettcr ust:d elsewhere. It's a With the final sign-off delivered. This latest chapter in the controver­ feeling of 'What are we doing with this Chief Engineer Frank Tollin spun the sial history of the Georgetown radio' thing"? The several thousand people liv­ final disc-Tim Blake's funeral-like station began Monday, when President ing in the suburbs think it's the greatest "New Jerusalem" album---to be played Timothy Healy's office announced the thing ever, but what has it done for over WGTS's airwaves. Seven minutes station would be shut down Wednes­ Georgetown'!" later, at 12:34 p.m. Wednesday after­ day. A statement released by the Uni­ Breedin added that "what we're doil.g noon. ToLlin punched a button; George­ versity Station Management Board now is better than taking it over and town art radio was off the air. stated that January 31 was chosen as having to cut it down to fit our budget. Meanwhile, a light snow fell on 400 the final day of WGTB's operation If the funds were available. the station people who had gathered in Healy Cir­ because the station's budget of $42,000 could be useful. But it's not the top of cle to "protest the silencing of WGTB:' would be exhausted. priorities. Station staff members u~ing bullhorns The Management Board, which is Despite the shUldcl\\ll. the final fate decried the University's decision to composed of Academic Vice-President of the educational FM radio license-­ close the station and spearheaded Rev. Aloysius Kelley, S.L Administra­ which Georgetown 'has held since the chants of "GTB" and "disco sucks" tive Vice-President Daniel Altobcllo, late 1950's is ~till in the hand~ of the while strains of Billy .Ioel and the Bee Medical School Chancellor Matthew FCC. The ea,c originally went to the Gees hlaired from 2nd Copley and 4th McNulty, Law School Dean David Mc­ FCC last April. when Georgetown and Healy. Carthy ~nd Assistant to the President lJDC jointly filed a petition to transfer Cries of "Let's storm Healy" were Rev. William George. S.J .. contended the licen~e to U DC. Two months later. heard among the protestors but, as the in the statement that "Georgetown's a group composed primarily of ,tation Shoutin!; "GTB will live forever" and carrying banners proclaiming "Disco sucks," 400 W(;TR Iisterners crowded inlo crowd moved towards the steps of the station has worked in a vacuum with no employees and Georgetown faculty Healy Circle Wednesday to mourn tlniversity's decision to take the station off the air. building, Protective Services officials department of communication arts and calling ibclf the Alliance to Preserve lined up in front of the doors to prevent no curricula in radio or television ... as Radio at Georgetown (APRG) filed a an academic base. The University ha~ petition with the FCC to deny the trans­ First Time for Eastern Jesuit University thus kept an undeniable asset in a kind fer. Since then. lhe two petitions have of limbo." been merged into one C'l>l:. with a deci­ Similar sentiments were expressed hy ,ion expected sometime this semester. SAC OK's Gay Group Charter by 5-3 Margin Healy last April with he announced the Rov Stewart, director 01 the FCC's University'S intention to transfer its ed­ tran!;[er hranch ~aid thi~ wc.:k that his by Ken Knisely before the Activities Commission did speculate on possible actions hy the "The University has never overruled the ucational FM radio license to another division is currently "working on a draft 110) -\ C(lnlnhulH1,!; l-Jlh'r not fare well. The Right To Life Com­ University before the Student Senate SAC on anything elsc." institution within the District, preferab­ of a propmed recommcndation that Georgetown became the first Jesuit mittee of Georgetown failed in its at­ convenes." The SAC report, including both the ly the newly-formed University of the analY/cs the pctitiom." Once this rce­ Universitv in America to extend a mea­ tempt to gain recognition as a student Gay Peoples charter approval and the District Columbia. (UDC) In an inter­ ommendation is drawn up. he said it sure of official recognition to a homo­ activity by a 1-6-1 vote by the SAC. GPGU Head Ryan. on the other denial of the same to the Pro-Life Com­ view at that time, Healv described would he ~uhmitted to the 7-member sexual organization. In a marathon Giblin thought the Commission denied hand, was optimistic about both the mittee will be discussed before the WGTB as "a great animal -that doesn't FCC. Stewart ,aid he was not at liberty three hour se!>sion. the Student Activi­ the organization a charter because "it Senate and the University in general. "I Senate Sunday night. "It should be belong in this zoo." He added that "if to discuss the merits of the casc because ties Commission (SAC) voted to give was a political group. It really only think times have changed, he stated. quite a meeting." said Giblin.- it's not an educational enterprise of the Gay People of Georgetown Univer­ deals with one side of one issue through sity (GPGU) standing as a student its literature and programs." activity. Right-To-Life Chairman Dave Kolf, The SAC-approved the charter appli­ in a telephone interview, said the deci­ Protests Disrupt Campusj CP-&P Threatened cation by a five-to-three margin, which sion would not hamper his group's ef­ will allow the group to carry through forts. "It won't affect our club that by Joel Szabat closing of WGTB. the campus radio offices, where they observed a two­ pacifist group". stated Stephanie Holm with its plans to petition for both funds much." He stated that his group coo­ HOYA ~1.lnal!lllg l·Jllor station which shut down for good at minute 'moment of silence' for WGTB CAS 'Sl. "We're not really a formal or­ and office space. vened Thursday night to coordinate fu­ 12:30 that day. After an hour of listen­ before breaking up. Group leaders ganization," added Andrew Warner The Commission issued a statement ture strategy including an appeal to the The usually peaceful atomsphere of ing to speakers, setting a Georgetown promised further demonstrations, per­ (also CAS 'Sl). "we don't want to be a after the meeting justifying its charter­ Student Senate Sunday night. "We have the Georgetown campus was inter­ rupted this week by the most protest pennant on fire, and chants of "GTB", haps this weekend. single issue group, rather, we're a loose ingofthe GPGU beeuase it would "pro­ support at every level; among students, activity the hilltop has seen since the and. "disco sucks", the crowd mounted The day before. two interrelated pro­ combination of single i~sue groups." vide a forum where all students of G U facultv, and alumni. We will take it to a Mayday confrontations of 1971. Heck­ the steps to the Healy building. where tests took place, against the CIA and The alliance, closely affiliated with may come to understand thc concern of highe;' level than the Senate." Kolf ling, police barriers. banner burnings, a four Georgetown University Protective U.S. involvement in Iran. The occasion the old 'Father McSoriev activists: ar­ gay students." SAC Chairman Buddy vowed, if the Senate should not over­ bomb threat, a sit-in. and two protest Services (G UPS) guards and a metal was prompted by the on-campus pres­ ranged to co-ordinate th~ir actions with Giblin added that the panel felt that the turn the SAC decision. marches marked the outburst of student grate barred entrance to the building. ence of CIA recruiters at Career Plann­ those of marching Iranian anti-shah group should be able "to assemble and The Senate'may not be the last stop Roughly 250 hard-core demonstraters ing & Placement on third McGuire for protesters. 150 strong, who trekked discuss their problems, goals. and other for the Gay People of Georgetown activism. On Wednesday over 400 supporters then marched downtown to the Federal a 'day of interviews. Anti-CIA student from. Lafayette Park to the 37th and 0 issues just as other groups do." either. A similar petition for recognition Communications Commission (FCCI street entrance outside of the Uni­ of homosexuals on campus was rejected rallied in Hcaly circle to protest the activists tried to occupy the CP&P of­ GPGU President Jim Rvan ex­ versity.