Columns

Welcome back! We hope you had a great break and all that jazz.
It may have been a break, but hey, the world keeps spinning and boy, did a lot of things happen.


OUSA’s very own “sex scandal”
 
Dan Stride’s very public resignation raised a number of issues surrounding privacy (see pg 22), the media and women’s rights. Given the relatively minor nature of the incident, it was unfortunate how extreme the repercussions were for Stride- not only did he get taken to court and loose his exec position, he also was rather publically condemned as some sort of sexual deviant (more on pg 15).

Of course, this isn’t to cast aspersions on the victim, who had clearly suffered to want to go to the police in the first place. Dismissing the incident as “just a breast grope when wasted” demonstrates how blasé we are about sexual assaults on women. Should women really have to put up with men spontaneously groping them while they’re out and about having a good time? A grope may “just be a grope”, but it’s still an invasion of someone’s right to bodily integrity.
 
Radio One?

Last semester, OUSA decided to bring in consulting-firm mega-power Deloitte to review OUSA in its entirety. The review came back, and one of the recommendations is that Radio One should be sold.
 
Obviously, the suggestion that Radio One be shut down prompted a slew of responses. There’s been discussion over whether Radio One’s value was calculated in the right way- Deloitte judged this value primarily on economic terms, that is, the cost of running Radio One as compared to the percentage of people who use Radio One. There’s nothing inherently unreasonable about this approach, but it certainly isn’t the only way to assess value. Numerous things that are funded by OUSA, such as the Student Support Centre, run at a deficit and are used by few, yet they are considered hugely important. Similarly, the Government funds the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Royal New Zealand Ballet which cater to a tiny minority. Despite this, the Government sees subsidising creative work as a worthwhile undertaking because of their immense importance to New Zealand culture.

Another aspect of the situation that piqued my interest was the way students, both those pro and against Radio One have acted. There’s been a fair amount of mud-slinging online, where warring cliques have ridiculed each other’s music taste and fashion sense. If anything, the incessant name calling and stereotyping [by a vocal minority of Radio One supporters] is only hindering Radio One’s [-> their] cause by alienating students with elitist statements. As a Radio One listener and ex-DJ myself, I’m not sure I appreciate being told “You aren't original, you aren't unique, you are lying to yourself if you think that you are” merely because I rate Glassons and don’t mind a bit of Lady Gagz in my spare time.  
 
Because ultimately, the issue shouldn’t be about whether you like alternative music or Katy Perry fan, whether you shop in Glassons or prefer hippy garb. The issue is whether you think Radio One has value.

OUSA is first and foremost a student’s association, not a sickly coloured business venture. It isn’t about raking in the big bucks or setting up global chains, it’s about students. And so you as a student need to consider a few things. Do YOU think Radio One has value? Even if you don’t currently listen to Radio One, do you think it’s a useful service for people to obtain industry experience, for burgeoning artists to gain exposure, for alternative media, for students to listen to music that may not be played on traditional radio stations? I do.

Have your say by making a submission to consultation@ousa.org.nz, signing the petition online or joining the Save Radio One Facebook page.
 
 
Have a great Re-O Week,

Julia Hollingsworth