Deciding what to do for this
project was quite easy because I knew that whatever college I attended, I would
get involved in the campus radio station. WMUC Sports Radio has been one of my
favorite things about Maryland because it was easy to get started and it’s a
gateway to many other opportunities in the field.
Specifically, I co-host a weekly
radio show with Jordan Burt on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 2:00. Throughout the
show, Jordan and I discuss hot topics in professional and collegiate sports.
Topics include significant games, standings, controversies, and the upcoming
week of sports.
In order to get started, all Jordan
and I had to do was email the sports director Dennis Ting that we were
interested. We included the day and time that we wanted to have and if it was
open, the slot was ours. Believe it or not, the most challenging part of the
entire process was creating a name for our show. We agreed on Charm City vs.
The Big Apple to represent our different upbringings and create a head-to-head
theme for the show. Although, as we’ve come to learn, Jordan and I tend to
agree more than we disagree.
The first few shows were a
struggle. After knowing each other for such little time, we hadn’t created much
of a personal relationship, let alone a co-host relationship. Eventually we
began to gel quite well together and after our tenth show or so, Jordan and I
have formed a fluent and entertaining one-hour program. This challenge helped
me learn that this source of media requires that you be personable and be able
to talk to others very well.
Jordan and I open the show with an
intro song and quick headlines. We break up the show by moving from sport to
sport with a quick break about halfway through the hour. It feels like we’re a
legitimate ESPN talk show radio. We’re trying desperately to get more people to
listen and have even discussed creating business cards to get the word out. We
already have a Twitter account and Facebook page. I remember speaking to a
woman at the career fair and she told me that getting our names out there was
very important.
I used to feel nervous in front of
the microphone but that has understandably diminished over time. While I was
content with the show for a few weeks, I now find myself looking for more.
Jordan and I have discussed extending our show for an hour so we can cover a
wider variety of topics and also go more in depth to some major topics.
Getting exposed to the equipment is
something that will undoubtedly benefit me in the future. Working the
soundboards and making sure your voice is at a good pitch and tone are things
that come with the job. Most of the time, Jordan’s microphone works perfectly
but mine needs a lot of tweaking. So being able to work on the fly and think
fast is a crucial skill that I’ll be learning throughout my involvement in WMUC
Sports.
One of my favorite things about
WMUC Sports is that it puts us first in line for sports broadcasting
opportunities. Any WMUC Sports member can apply to broadcast a Maryland sports
team throughout the season. Alex Flum broadcasted several women’s soccer games
and I knew that I wanted to get involved. Dennis Ting sent out an email
requesting applications to broadcast a few winter sports. I applied for hockey
because it’s an exciting game and I feel that if someone like myself, who has
no experience other than the radio show, can call a hockey game then the sky is
the limit. I was actually just notified on Tuesday night that I had received
one of the open positions. I wish the season didn’t end in a month or so but
beggars can’t be choosers.
My main goal is to receive some
valuable experience as a broadcaster. I’m in a serious resume-building stage
right now and something like this is a great way to get started. After just a
few short months, I’m more certain than ever that this is what I want to study
and continue to improve on. I know my voice is fit for this kind of work and I
just need to get as involved as I can.
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