In my previous post, I talked about the Mount's radio station and how students can create and broadcast their own programming. This week, I want to tell you more about my show. I decided to simulate an actual radio show that focuses on introducing listeners to varying genres of music that myself and my co-host enjoyed listening to. I wanted to do this type of show because I love all kinds of music. I remember when I was growing up, I noticed that most radio stations tend to only cover one or two different genres of music on their show. I wanted to host a show where listeners would always be surprised by what genre would be playing next and could also find unique music to add to their playlists at home!
One of the requirements for broadcasting was that once students got 15 minutes into their show, we were required to deliver a pre-recorded PSA and a live PSA. This requirement taught us how to navigate the technical aspects of working with radio technology to properly air the pre-recorded PSA in addition to giving us experience in performing a live radio reading on the air. Students are required to repeat this performance every 30 minutes while on the air in accordance with FCC (Federal Communications Commission) regulations. During this time, we would also give a Mount Activities Update (which is just reading any activity update that may pop into your Mount email).
All this may sound very overwhelming at first and believe me, it kind of was! But after you get familiar with how to properly operate the different devices and programs in the radio room, it becomes a lot of fun! The creative freedom given to you in deciding the content of your show ensures that you will not be stuck hosting and airing content you are not interested in. What makes this program even better, is that you can have guests at the show too! So, if you and your friend want to start a podcast and get some good technical skills, hands-on broadcasting skills, and some exposure on the campus while doing so, this program would be perfect for you!
If you are interested in gaining some radio room experience or just want to test the waters, the advisor for the Mount's radio station is Professor Randy Gray. If you have any questions or would like more details on what this course has to offer, you can contact him via email at gray@msmary.edu.