Nashua’s board of education wants school bus drivers to tune in to a new radio station.
If all goes as planned the city will be the first in the state to air Bus Radio.
Produced in Massachusetts and used on school buses in the Bay State, the programming is packaged exclusively for kids.
But not all Nashua parents are happy with the plan because the programming also includes advertising.
NHPR Correspondent Sheryl Rich-Kern reports.
SFX of bus??
Compare one of today’s chrome-yellow school buses to the rugged vehicles from a generation ago and you’ll soon realize not much has changed.
The stiff backed vinyl seats are a bit worn, and the kids still won’t stop talking.
And when students get unruly, bus drivers intervene.
A few yell.
And, according to David Rauseo, who manages Nashua’s school bus system, some drivers turn on the radio.
Rauseo: If you talk to enough drivers, and people in the industry who’ve been on school buses, the behavior on the buses tends to worsen without the radio.
Sound, bus pulling up
Hana: The music, well it quiets everybody down a little bit.
That’s fourth grader Hana McLinden who races off the school bus to greet her Mom.
That same music used to quiet down the kids though has caused some complaints from parents.
They don’t like the suggestive lyrics and what they consider the inappropriate banter of the DJs.
Fade under music:
But soon bus drivers may have a new option: Bus Radio.
It sounds something like this:
Fade in music, then banter: It’s Matt and Lucia. A little something for everyone. And it’s National Library Week, did you know that Matt…
The station sounds live, but the company actually pre-records daily morning and afternoon programs targeting elementary, middle, and high school audiences.
For each hour of music, the two DJs intersperse six minutes of public-safety messages and eight minutes of advertising.
The Bus Radio’s can also play AM and FM stations.
They come with emergency buttons and GPS sensors so districts can track a bus’ location.
Bus Radio’s co-founder, Steven Shulman, says the station provides a healthy alternative to what’s typically found on any commercial music station.
Shulman: Throughout the country, there’s a problem with what’s being played on FM Radio. When we’re able to clean up the radio and offer safety features at the same time, it’s a win-win situation.
And says David Rauseo with Nashua’s school system, you can’t beat the price.
Rauseo: We don’t pay for installation. We don’t pay for anything. In fact, there’s a small revenue share, maybe three or four thousand dollars.
That profit share comes from advertisers selling things like the website answers.com and movie DVDs.
Bus stop ambience
Kasia Grossman, a Nashua parent of three, says she likes the Bus Radio concept.
But she’s less thrilled about the advertising.
Grossman: Within the school time, when I send my children off to school, I’d like to know they’re in that educational milieu. And that we’re working towards having them be more comprehensive citizens, not better consumers. And I don’t know I want another place where they’re being plugged.
But Nashua’s David Rauseo says the advertising can’t be helped.
Rauseo: Some of the parents have complained about advertising. But even regular radio has advertising. I believe even NPR has some sponsors.
Bus stop ambience, kids playing
Susan Carlson, waits for her two kids to get off the bus.
She too worries about Bus Radio’s advertising
And she’s not even sure she wants to trust out-of-state programmers to pick what they think is appropriate music.
Carlson: How do we pick what’s good music for our kids to be listening to when we’re not there. For the bus driver, it’s just a matter of turning it on and off. They’re not picking.
Bus Radio’s Steve Shulman says child psychologists, school administrators, and superintendents review the content of the music.
And a school district can ban any song from the playlist.
In the next few weeks, the school’s transportation department plans to look over the Bus Radio contract.
Transportation Director Rauseo says he expects the kids will be hearing the new station sometime in December.
For NHPR News in Nashua, I’m Sheryl Rich-Kern.
