Dining tries 'TV dinners'

Video may have killed the radio star, but Dining Services believes it will enhance your tuna melt. Dining Services installed video jukeboxes in Hill House and Stouffer Dining Commons this week – but in the wake of student complaints, the University may be forced to stop the music. After only three days of use, the jukebox in Hill House has already been removed. "The powers that be thought the video jukeboxes would give students a more pleasurable dining experience," said College freshman Matt Wasowski. "I think they should go back to the drawing board." A number of diners added they felt the music often became too loud and repetitive, which would interfere with their meal-time conversations. Students said they were also concerned that Dining Services will make them pay for their future music video selections. Wharton freshman Michael Graziano said he thought the music added to the dining scene, but he would not select songs if he had to drop in a few quarters. "If I have to pay for [the videos],I can do without the atmosphere," he said. Ironically, Dining Services Director William Canney said he had the machines put in after students requested music during meals. The company Laser Video installed two jukeboxes – one in Stouffer and one in Hill – at no cost to the University or the students. Canney said major corporations purchase advertising time on the jukebox television screen between video selections. These ads pay for the cost of the jukeboxes. Dining Services, in response to the complaints, has lowered the volume on the remaining Stouffer jukebox, but Canney said the jukebox has enough choices to avoid songs being overplayed. The jukeboxes play 80 out of the top 100 Billboard music videos, and can be updated monthly. "There is a wide variety of music offered by the jukeboxes," explained Canney. "It's a matter of someone pushing a button." Assistant Stouffer Dining Manager Ed Munoz said he has received mostly positive feedback, citing over 300 videos chosen by students daily. Although the machines are equipped to charge for the videos, Canney said there were no plans to change the current system. But he added that the video jukeboxes could be rigged to collect donations for charitable causes.