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Thursday, November 5, 2009
North Texas musicians and fans have a new best friend: KXT’s Gini Mascorro
KXT is buzzing around the clock to go on air November 9. I managed to grab a quick chat and a half-dozen high-fives with Music Coordinator Gini Mascorro at the station.
The day all us music geeks have been waiting for quickly approaches. On Monday, KERA's highly anticipated music station will go on air, bringing the refreshing sounds of local music woven between hours of underground goodness. I sat down with music coordinator and morning personality Gini Mascorro in the flurry of preparation for the station launch.
Of course I recognize your voice from Art and Seek; it's a very calming, familiar voice – how excited are you right now?
You know, it's really weird, I haven't been sleeping a lot lately; but it's the best lack of sleep I've ever had.
I know that feeling! What time will you be on the air?
I believe I'll be on from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and then Joe (Kozera) comes on from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Oh good, so I can listen to you on my commute. Now you're going to have live studio sets on your show; we got a little sneak preview of that here today with The O's (don't worry, readers, you can hear it next week). Who else do you have lined up?
We have Joshua James coming in, locally we have Sarah Jaffe...
I love her! I'm afraid I geeked out at her one night at Dan's. I could not keep it together, just started babbling about how much I love her album. I was all “'Backwards/ Forwards' is like a page that fell out of my diary!” Poor girl never saw it coming.
What was her reaction?
Rightly alarmed, I would imagine. She was very gracious. It's fairly understood around Denton that I can be an overwhelming ass. Did you grow up in the Dallas area?
I grew up in Fort Worth.
Awesome, so you have a full appreciation for the scene here, having lived in Denton, Dallas, and Fort Worth. The scenes are so very nuanced.
They really are. Actually, growing up around here with radio, we had so many great stations. We had The Zoo, and Q102, 97.1 The Eagle was super cool for awhile. That was my music – I'm not a musician.
You've been with Art and Seek for a long time?
I was with Art and Seek, and Deep in the Arts before that. I was doing that since 2002. One of my favorite things to was put in all the club dates, because it was so great to see who was coming in to Hailey's, Rubber Gloves, Granada, The Cavern, Lola's. There's so much going on musically in this area, and part of our overall goal is to celebrate local music in addition to the people who are making the charts. There are so many good bands out there that we've already plugged into the playlist, and they sound just perfect next the bands that are charting.
I saw a sample playlist, and it was exciting. Everything from Miike Snow to Kings of Leon, but then you had The O's and Telegraph Canyon in there. I can't tell you how excited we all are for you to finally go live. It really is a celebration of underground music -- local and otherwise -- and we don't really have that on the airwaves right now. It's very encouraging, especially since you're listener-supported. The music you're playing tends to have a cult following. These are the sorts of people who will go out to shows at night, and drop coin at Good Records.
We're working on our turntable, we're going to be spinning vinyl.
(Squeaks). I'm sorry, I think I might cry. Gather. Okay, tell me, who are you listening to at home when it doesn't count as work?
Ooh. Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears -- Tell 'em What Your Name Is. Heartless Bastards – The Mountain (but I like all three of their CD's); I love girl groups, so I have my Shangri-Las Best Of. Buck Owens – I'm a big fan of old school country bands; and the soundtrack to The Harder They Come.
KXT 91.7 goes on air Monday.
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Travis Bush, verified:
Gini rocks! Love to hear her voice and also see her at the art shows!
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tetsujin28, anonymous:
The last time I heard any good sounds coming from this area they were three loud gun shots in Dealy Plaza. (Just kidding I am a complete liberal) I will be interested to take a listen to this station and see how long it can hold my musical interest.
You know the Bible says that blessed are those who enjoy the blessing of the day.
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CitizenKane, anonymous:
Government sponsered non-sense. The region has plenty of musical formats available without government paid radio programming.
We (USA) are broke; can't afford to pay for basic social services for the needy, and certain groups of people clammer for government funding of alternative music.
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mediawonk, anonymous:
Kane, that's an oft-repeated falsehood. In reality, nearly all of KXT's operating budget will be funded by listener and underwriter support (i.e. the "brought to you by" announcements you hear at the top of the hour). Public radio in the U.S. is not the BBC - only a very small portion of operating funds come from Uncle Sam, and most of those come indirectly via grants.
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Travis Bush, verified:
media..we've been over this with Citizen Kane before. We;ve pointed out to him documentation from the station itself, including info about how the station was purchased. He merely uses anything like this to spout his teabag nonsense.
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CitizenKane, anonymous:
The following quote is taken from the KERA website (Grants and Foundations page)....
"...strategic goals of KERA’s educational services and programming by helping to secure funds from private foundations and government sources."
As Mediawonk acknowedges in the above post, KERA's operating budget is dependent on Uncle Sam. If the federal funding is so small, then why doesn't KERA go totally private and not accept federal funding?
If you think they KERA doesn't receive federal funding (from NEA, programming underwriting, etc) then you are dilusional.
And the new station was paid by leveraging their federal funding and grants.
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Travis Bush, verified:
Again with this? You haven't got the sense of a retarded squirrel...Please refer to the About Page and read the FAQ created just for answering to the likes of you..
http://kxt.org/about/
*Who made the decision to buy the station?
The decision to purchase the station was made in March 2009 by KERA’s Board of Directors and senior management. The Board’s Executive Committee, the Finance Committee and a special working group comprised of Board members were involved in the process every step of the way.
How can KERA afford to buy this station?
KERA prudently manages its finances which is a major reason why the station was able to secure independent financing.
The core infrastructure for the new station is basically in place: broadcasting equipment and technology, studio facilities, and the program and administrative staff.
A membership program will begin when the new station fully goes on the air, and we are approaching program sponsors.
How will it be paid for?
Very favorable terms were secured from nonprofit-focused lenders. The loans will be paid over time.
Was government stimulus package funding used to acquire this station? No.
Were any government funds used to purchase the station?
No.*
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CitizenKane, anonymous:
And George Bush said.."the war is won" but we all know that was a lie.
KERA's answer is a shell game.....KERA gets federal funding and grants to operate KERA, then goes out and buys KXT and has the audacity to tell the public they didn't rely on public funding.....believe it if you want to......but the facts are the facts......KERA relies on government funding, and that government funding enabled KERA to purchase/operate KXT.
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CitizenKane, anonymous:
There is no need for your name calling...either you have the facts on your side, or you don't. But your name calling is childish and diminish your comments, which are vacant of facts.
I am sure you are competent in whatever realm of the universe you operate, but your knowledge of public finance and corporate balance sheets is lacking. What KERA is doing is just shifting money around, it is a Bernie Madoff accounting trick for them to claim public funds are not invovled in the KXT deal.
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Travis Bush, verified:
You obviously can't read. It says that loans were used to purchase the station, not federal monies. And I'm not sure why you feel yourself competent to say what KERA is or is not doing. Your comments fly in the face of the facts, which you simply refuse to acknowledge. Please adjust your tinfoil hat accordingly.
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Bill Holston, verified:
Sorry, this turned into a political squabble. Gini, you rock. So does Joe. I Can't wait to hear the O's, Telegraph Canyon, Sarah Jaffe, and Doug Burr on the Radio. I'll be happy to support this effort.
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CitizenKane, anonymous:
The problem is that you can't read between the lines TB. Why do you think KERA was able to get "very favorable loans"?
Because they are considered a good credit risk! And why is that? Because one of their sources of revenue is govenment funding.
Without government grants flowing to KERA (and KXT indirectly) the economics of the acquisition changes, and probably doesn't happen. Try thinking for yourself, rather than just digesting PR put out by KERA. Connect the dots dude!
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Phillip Wilkinson, verified:
I will give the new kid in town a spin today and I think this is really GREAT that the local arts will get top billing!P.S. I truly hate clear channel monopoly!Let's all tell sony corp to p!ss off.
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What do you think?