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Kaimin, KBGA choose new leaders for 2008-09

By Kimball Bennion
J-School Web Reporter

New leaders will take the reins of the University of Montana’s student-run newspaper and radio news programming next fall.

Bill Oram will be the editor of the campus newspaper, the Montana Kaimin, with Joseph Licitra as its new business manager. Lindsay Alvestad will take over at KBGA radio as news director, while Marianne McCormack tackles the job of sports director.

Oram, 21, said students should expect a “fun, energetic newspaper that will cover the University of Montana better than anyone else.” Oram, a senior in the J-school’s print program next fall, said he wants the Kaimin to amp up its Web presence. Students should be able to get news from the student-run publication more than just four days a week, he said.

“The Montana Kaimin needs to be a 24-hour news source,” Oram said.

Licitra, 43, also hopes to improve the paper’s Web site. A double major in business management and vocal performance, Licitra said he plans to focus on the site’s business responsibilities by arranging ads and structuring the site in a way that will increase traffic.

“More and more, digital media is becoming very important,” Licitra said.

Ads cover most of the cost the Kaimin’s costs of running a daily paper, Licitra said, but students also help back the Kaimin’s with a fee they pay every semester.

KBGA’s new leaders also hope to expand the station’s audience.

Alvestad, 21, said she hopes KBGA will be able to reach a wider audience next fall by staying abreast of national and international news. The broadcast journalism major said KBGA will have a news talk show that will keep its sights on the November elections and other global events. The reporters Alvestad hires will continue to feature events on the campus level as well, she said.

“We’ve always been really good at covering stories that you can’t get anywhere else,” Alvestad said.

McCormack, 21, would like KBGA sports to reach more listeners. She said she plans to broaden coverage by having reporters cover high school and club sports around the community in addition to collegiate sports.

McCormack said there is more to sports in Missoula than what goes on at the University.
The senior broadcast journalism major said she wants Sports Talk, a KBGA fixture, to have more guests from Missoula’s sports world away from the UM campus.

“There’s so much to cover,” McCormack said.

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