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Wednesday, July 20, 1988/The Battalion/Page 3 State and Local Rebel’ disc jockey fighting B-CS radio format new format and make some quick changes. but as a listener’s friend. I love my listeners By Tom Cawthra “They (the listeners) were calling and so much,” she says. “Especially when they’re Reporter telling us we should play some ‘good’ music nice.” No Michael Jackson. for a change,” he said. “I felt that we St. James says the rebellious attitude she No George Michael. needed to play a little more rock ’n’ roll at adopted on the air is just one side of the And absolutely no Tiffany. night — late at night when I think a lot of real Lauren St. James. Do not fear local rock ’n’ roll fans. An­ the students are out and are partying or “There’s a fine line between your profes­ swers to these and other cries for more what have you.” sional life and your personal life,” she says rock, less talk and no more kid stuff might He let St. James use her creative talents while a McDonald’s advertisement was on be at the end of your FM dial. and together they reached an unexpected the air. “I’m more of a rebel on the ait than KISS 105 (KKYS-FM) has changed its solution. anywhere. After I get off the air, I go home late night Fop 40 programming style after That was when “Lauren in the Nightti­ and I read a romantic novel, or some other me” gained what listeners refer to as “star” realizing its Bryan-College Station listeners good book and I go to sleep. During the day status. were begging for new music. I go to class just like anyone else my age.” St. James broadcast a “Screw Chuck Red­ It’s 7:55 p.m. And Lauren St. James, the 21-year-old den” campaign over what she says used to “Okay it’s time for the Hot Fast Five at nighttime rebel of the Brazos Valley, wants be the dull and quiet airwaves of nighttime Eight starting off with A Split Second on her listeners to help her fight the format. radio in the Brazos Valley. KKYS,” she tells those tuned into 104.9 on It’s 6:54 p.m. Six minutes before Lauren She instructed her listeners to call the sta­ the FM dial. is to go on the air. tion with their wildest music requests and St. James says that her position at KKYS The local night club commercial she was she would do her best to find the songs to has made it possible to meet on-air person­ desperately trying to finish in the KKYS break the monotonous Top 40 format. alities at bigger radio market stations. production room isn’t working the way she It worked. “Ron Parker from 93Q (KKBQ-FM wanted. She says callers were ecstatic about the Houston) helped me so much,” she says. “I really don’t mess up this often,” she new radio revolution and were satisfied “He’s always thought I had a good air per­ explains. “1 wrote this advertisement for when they heard their favorite heavy metal sonality. When he introduces me he says, Graffiti myself and now it’s really pissin’ me music on a Bryan-College Station radio ‘Yeah, she does nights in Aggieland,’ and I off!” broadcast. dpn’t mind.” “I hope my show’s not like this,” she says, So far, St. James and her boss are satis­ St. James says she would like to move to a glancing up at the clock. fied with the results. similar large market station, but she wants It’s 6:59 p.m. It’s now 7:01 p.m. to finish her education first. She snags her purse and hurries out the St. James introduces herself and ad­ “It was really important to my father for door toward the broadcast booth at the end dresses her beloved audience with the same me to graduate,” she says. “He died in De­ of the hall. She knows she can make it to the sultry voice she uses for making commer­ cember and now it’s kind of like an obliga­ microphone (her best friend) within 60 sec­ cials. tion I have to him that I can’t ignore—even onds. She has to. “Hi, this is Lauren (first-name basis, if I want to.” It’s 7 p.m. that’s her motto) in the nighttime,” she says. Silence. She goes on the air screaming — setting “You’re listening to KISS 105, KKYS — The subject of her father seemed to be a the mood for the next five hours of contem­ Bryan-College Station’s choice for the most serious distraction, and for a fast-paced job porary-hit radio programming for the twin music.” like radio broadcasting, distractions create cities. St. James says she adds personal feelings instant problems. St. James, a Sam Houston State Univer­ to her show because she believes the more “Dammit! Dead air. My fault,” she says. sity journalism student, says she wants to she gives her audience, the more she will re­ She missed an ending of a commercial transfer to Texas A&M’s journalism de­ ceive from them. that was on the air and did not begin the partment this spring so she can complete “I think every jock has their own style,” next song at the appropriate time. her college education as an Aggie. she says as she files an album onto a shelf “I’m a very sensitive and emotional per­ “I’ve met a lot of A*|M students on cam­ for tomorrow’s broadcast. son, but I can’t let my audience know I’m pus and in clubs and some have even been “Our main job is to be communicators, upset” she says. on my show,” she says. and if you’re going to communicate then “That’s part of being in the entertain­ St. James is the creator of the often con­ Photo by Tom Cawthra you have to be a person,” she says. ment business, though. Nobody wants to troversial “AggieTalk,” a nightly segment People are not mechanical robots, she hear a DJ complain on the air unless its fun­ where A&M students are guests on her un­ says, so why should they have to listen to a ny,” she says. edited radio program. Lauren St. James “on-the-air” at KKYS. mechanical radio program? It’s 10:20 p.m. The segment centers around University “I like to break format a lot,” she says. “Oh my legs hurt,” St. James complains, issues and other college-related topics such “And as far as nights go, you can get away ironically, as she begins straightening the as women in the Corps, hazing, Greek life with a lot more on the air because the listen­ studio for the late night DJ. and A&M football. “Chuck Redden is a very good program­ ming. You don’t know what people want to ers aren’t stuck in an office or asleep at the “I laid in front of the television doing leg “AggieTalk” airs weeknights at 11:30 mer here,” she says, “and he wanted it (the hear until you ask them. And how the hell pool.” lifts last night and now I’m hurlin’,” she p.m. during the fall and spring semesters. programming style) to be more upbeat, at are we gonna know what nighttime listeners St. James says she believes her listeners laughs. “But you have to work to be the best Chuck Redden, the station’s program di­ night anyway.” want to hear unless they tell us?” appreciate her concern for them despite and I want to be the best. I’m not a big star . rector, liked the results of this controversial Redden said, “I believe in the ‘ask and Redden said the calls following the her flare for breaking the rules. .. yet.” show, St. James says. you shall receive’ theory in radio program­ heated “AggieTalk” helped him program a “I don’t want to be perceived as a rebel. Rudolf Piureyev will dance just a few America ;• 'Vvtfj&N? y ’t-kuXwM ^ this year. ............. > £ V-. V. One of them is right here. the er? The 1988-89 campus directory deadline Rudolf Piureyev is one of the greatest, and certainly most 41 is fast approaching. Don't forget, di­ famous ballet dancers of all time. Since his world-rocking “leap ihliHm to freedom“ from the Soviet Union in 1961, he has electrified the world of dance. Me has danced with all the world's great rectories are distributed to every companies, including the Paris Opera Ballet, which he now directs. phone installation on campus and typ­ MSC OPAS 16 will present Rudolf Piureyev and Friends, the Paris Opera Ballet, as just one of the seven great performances ically stay there all year long. In addi­ on this season's Music Series. In addition to his performance here, he will host an informal reception after the MSC OPAS performance. tion more than 20,000 students buy Only OPAS 16 season ticket holders will be guaranteed tickets to this sure sell-out. Don t wait for single tickets and miss this them — so be sure you make use of rare opportunity. OPAS 16 season tickets are now on sale for the Music Series, and for the Theater Series, which will bring six hit Broadway performances including "Big River.” Order this long term advertising investment yours today.

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