WHRB Factions Clash; Showdown Due Friday

Harvard radio station WHRB seems headed for a programming showdown on Friday over proposed changes in rock and classical scheduling.

Program director Michael Gruber '72 earlier this week revised the previous programming, giving rock and jazz more air time at the expense of classical. But Tuesday night the administrative board of the station overruled Gruber, suspending those changes.

As of now, a final decision is likely at this Friday's meeting of the board.

Slim Vote

By a slim vote of 2-1 with two abstentions, the board ruled, in effect, that rock would not be given an afternoon program from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. as had been proposed. But despite this decision, there was a rock show yesterday afternoon beginning at 2:31 p.m., obeying the letter of the board's action but not its spirit.

During the past several years, there has been consistent quibbling between the rock and classical factions. The feud reached a high point this week when the rock staff threatened a walkout following the administrative board's decision.

Tradition

Recently the traditional predominance of classical music on WHRB has eroded. And with the election last week of Charles Perkins '73 to the position of station manager, and Gruber as program director, the rock and jazz departments began to assert their majority numbers.

But the classical staff controls the administrative board, which according to WHRB President Robert Goldfarb '73 has the power to make final programming decisions.

Friday

Gruber and Goldfarb indicated that the programming controversy would be decided one way or another at the board meeting on Friday.

Rock members have long sought some of the prime afternoon air time which has, until now, been the domain of classical music. They have complained that their after-midnight slot was insufficient.