From the Marquette Radio desk, here a list of 10 reasons you should love college radio! Help us celebrate College Radio Day 2015 with a few laughs and a look into why our station and our voices matter.
1. It’s a creative outlet
This is especially true for students with majors outside their schools college of Communications. For engineers, business and finance students, college radio is the place for them to let their true colors shine. Radio takes students outside the class room and into a world of music, sports, and entertainment –worlds they may not experience in the future.
2. Becoming a family with your co-host and college radio staff
“Families are like fudge – mostly sweet with a few nuts.” –Unknown
It takes effort to be a part of any student media outlet: late nights, deadlines, programs, projects, school! This could not be truer of a college radio family. While everyone has their own craziness happening, we are a band of musical fanatics. Fanatics that anger one another, critique, mentor, and grow. We, and college radio stations across the country, are families because there is no other way.
3. Expose new and local artists
Here’s the things, local musicians know what the local stations are. Although a college radio station has a very specific audience, it is still a professional broadcast medium – just run from the basement of the communications school. These starving artists are looking for any outlet for their sound to be heard. Now, Rhianna and Sam Smith certainly will not be emailing the station personally, but through music promoters and nearby concert venues students have the opportunity to develop a college radio’s sound.
4. Share your tastes with listeners
Musical tastes are like snowflakes. In fact, musical, political, even our preference of athletes and teams are incredibly different. But, chances are, someone out in the universe has damn near the same ear and eye as you. Having a show for a college station gives you the right to express how you feel about any topic. Most of us will relate heavily with having a varied array of musicians that tickle ones fancy. Good for you. Now take that special snowflake attitude and apply for a show! Chances are someone out there can relate.
5. Learn about your peers via various shows
The flip side to sharing ones tastes is being the one who receives new information. By simply tuning into your college station you have become a part of that world. Sure many of us have tuned into something yet completely tuned it out, using the radio or the TV as background noise. Though when you tune in, you’ve decided to engage in active listening. By actively listening to what the voice in your headphones is saying, you are considering that music selection, or that opinion about whatever.
6. Learn professional and technical skills
There are some things you just have to see and do, to fully learn. Joining a college radio station improves two things: technical skills and communication skills. Technical skills involve everything with operating a soundboard, and the technology inside the studio –even those who podcast and edit later are learning without being on-air. Communication skills have everything to do with how you carry yourself inside the studio and on-air. Talking into a microphone, live either on the internet or the radio waves, can improve your ability to hold a conversation.
7. Stay connected with campus news
Students report the news that students want to hear. A minute-by-minute report on whatever political campaign is certainly not what students want, nor is it what they need. Assuming the campus is interested enough in what the university is doing, students want to hear stories of their peers and what changes the school is making that will directly affect them.
8. On-air dance party.
*no description needed*
9. COLLEGE STUDENTS LOVE SPORTS
The sports media market is large and always growing. The list of professional sportscasters who have started at their college station then moved to the big leagues of sports journalism is a long one, much like this sentence. Both college television and radio stations are constantly breeding the new leaders in sports journalism. Remember these men and women are full time students. Much like an athlete trains and practices until game day, these casters-in-training watch tape, follow stories and stats, they prepare meticulously for their big moment. Do not be fooled if you live in a small collegiate sports market, there is always someone waiting for the next big name in sports journalism.
10. Making memories
Through an organization that allows listeners, DJ’s and sportscasters alike, Marquette Radio and college radio stations all over the country are giving power to the students. Students have the power to share ideas, create stories, expand their musical horizons, etc. Plain and simple, we aim to please.
