Frank Hejl knew that he'd made a mistake. During his late-night college radio show Frequency Down on Sunday, he played a song on the air before realizing that it contained three mentions of the "f" word.
Hejl, host of the show on University of North Texas station KNTU-FM (88.1), wasn't the only one who heard the profanity in Ninja High School's "Shake it Off" while it played shortly after 11:30 p.m.
A member of KNTU's management also was listening, Hejl said. The DJ was fired, and his three-year-old show was canceled the next day.
"I feel that I should have been given a warning at least, or even a one-show suspension," Hejl said in an interview Tuesday. "Firing me was quite a harsh measure in my eyes."
KNTU general manager Russ Campbell would not comment on Hejl or Frequency Down in detail, but said that the firing and cancellation came after a specific station policy was violated. "We have a policy regarding indecent content, and we make sure all of our on-air people are aware of it by having them sign a form," Campbell said. "Of course, we regret situations like this."
Dr. Richard J. Allen, general manager at Texas Christian University station KTCU-FM (88.7) and chair of the school's Radio-Television-Film department, says that Hejl's firing seems extreme.
"I don't imagine we'd dismiss a DJ for something like that alone, especially not cancel a show. We just ask people to be careful," Allen said yesterday.
The ousted DJ is mainly frustrated about not getting to bid his listeners a proper goodbye. He asked KNTU's management for the chance to do a final show, and they said no.
"At this point, that's all I ask for and want," Hejl said. "They can monitor me in the studio, have guard dogs, use Tasers, whatever.
"I just want to be able to do a last show. The fans and I deserve that."
Hunter Hauk
Paul Slavens (left), host of 90.1 At Night Sundays on KERA-FM, was saddened after hearing the news of Frequency Down's cancellation. "I listened to Frequency Down on the ride home from my show. The real shame is that it was a good outlet for local music, and D-FW-Denton needs lots more – not less – of those shows." Slavens said he approached Hejl about doing a segment on 90.1 at Night. Hejl is interested: "Paul's a great guy. I really respect his show. It's a silver lining."
Frequency Down was one of a few area radio shows that feature a mix of indie rock, comedic banter and most notably, local music coverage. Every Sunday from 10 p.m. to midnight, host Frank Hejl (right) and assistant Jeff Stickrod rattled off concert dates and played songs by local bands they deemed worthy. Hejl has hosted Frequency Down since it debuted in August 2003. He's scheduled to graduate from UNT in December (with a degree in sociology), and planned before his firing to end the show then.
