College Radio Cuts: More Women’s Programming at KTRU Rice University, 1970s

Listeners noticed the lack of women on-air, such as at Rice in the 1970s, when women at Jones College, an all-women’s dormitory at the university, complained. “Why aren’t there any girls doing shows in the evenings or nights,” a group asked. “Girls” were relegated to afternoons, “when nobody listens.” “We want to hear a girl on at night. There is one girl on that is really good, but she isn’t on very often. Why?” KTRU volunteers explained that they relied on enthusiasm for membership, and “no more than five females participate.” They cited “the male-female ratio at Rice” rather than any station policy. “We could even use more DJs, be they male, female, bisexual, homosexual, black, brown, frecklefaced, or whatever.” When it came to evening hours, reserved for their “more experienced personnel,” volunteers who were women were new.

The “Jones Girls” didn’t “quite see” the point. “We’re sure that some of the guys who are on at night are beginners, too, and surely a couple of the girls are good enough by now to be on then if the guys are.” But the issue was moot, as by the time of their response, “we have heard some girls on at night.” They hoped KTRU kept it that way.

Source: Undated Letters, KTRU Radio Records, Box 27, Folder 8.