Where is radio? I’ll do you one better who is radio? I’ll do you one better what is radio? Long gone are the days of traditional radio, you can’t just get in front of a mic and be a DJ. Now you need to be more, you need to be a content creator.
What is Fundamentals of Radio/Beginning Announcing?
Following high school, incoming freshmen may not initially be certain about what to major in, and these stories hope to provide insight. To provide real reasons why someone may consider joining the ONU Communication Department. At ONU the university offers a multitude of majors Communication from TV to film, to PR, to radio. You may be asking TV? Radio? What does that entail? In this story we will dive into one of the first classes taken by all Multimedia students: Fundamentals of Radio/Beginning Announcing. Broadcasting is the act of transmitting information across radio and television, but what does that mean for a class at Olivet Nazarene University? According to the university’s catalog, the class is defined as:
“Emphasizes the communication and performance skills that are essential for successful announcing. Topics include: interpreting copy, voice and diction, broadcast interviewing, and sports and music announcing. Students are given practical experience with broadcast studio equipment necessary for announcing”
– OLivet Nazarene UNIVERSITY 2023/2024 catalog
Well, that’s a mouthful, but seriously what does all that mean? In simple terms, you will be working on the university’s student station, Spark.HD. Now don’t freak, you aren’t going on the air, not quite yet at least. The class, COMM-171, is more than that.
“Media is converging in on itself, and it’s more about content creation,” said Professor Brian Utter. This is a big concept that he tries to hammer into your head the entire class. He makes it almost his goal for you to not see it as a radio class, or as a radio station, but as a place to learn that media has an agenda, and to learn said agenda and be able to spread it effectively, with whatever media
Why Take This Class?
Why would someone take this course? Why should someone take this course? Because it is a requirement for those marjoing in Multimedia Communication is the legitimage reason. But if you are a freshman who has no idea what they should take when given the chance to make your schedule. Why choose this course over others? Take it from current freshman, Owen Smith who came in as a general comm major, but just a month before interviewing him made the switch to a Radio & Audio major. Although he is actively in the course right now, he states how much he has enjoyed working at Spark.HD and would want to pursue that further.
“The class gave me an idea of what its going to look like”
– Owen Smith Interview 2024
“Like I said the technology for sure is something I’ve been very impressed with and the material in the class in general”
– Owen smith interview 2024
Outcome of COMM-171
When all is said and done, the dust has settled, the classes are completed, what can someone expect to get out of COMM-171? Besides taking the class or asking students who have already taken it, an article written by Briana Jones-Gill in ClutchPoints discusses how important college radio stations are.
“College radio stations serve as creative spaces where mistakes can turn into works of art and students can discover their true passion,” it said.
Besides the experience gained, you are gaining a creative space where you can learn how to produce art or content. Not only this but like most college courses this is only the surface of many other advanced and more exciting classes that a student can take. For example, the class directly following COMM-171 is COMM-215 Audio Production. This is the more advanced class where students get to improve the skills learned in 171 and take them to the next level.
I remember as a sophomore taking COMM-215 and how much I enjoyed the course and working collaboratively to produce content such as that discussed above. Although I and others hate the audio software Pro Tools the advanced class would not be possible if we had not taken COMM-171 Fundamentals of Radio/Beginning Announcing. Below you will find a links to checkout Shine.FM the full station ran by Brian Utter, go ahead and go give their page a follow. Also if looking for more information on other introductory classes in the Communication Department click here.
