The Alternation Radio Experience

All About The Radio

If you’re wondering what in the world you just read, if you haven’t been keeping up with my student exploits thus far, I also have my own radio show this semester. What you just read is the opening paragraph that I start with every time I come on the radio. Over the last two beats we covered the Digital Media Program itself, Commodore Waves, and for my third beat here at Commodore Waves, I decided to write about The Alternation Radio station. It is another perk that we have in the Digital Media Program that allows us some “on the job training” to get some experience in radio broadcast. We have a class in the program called Radio Production Sound (DIG 2257) and during this class one of our projects is hosting a radio show throughout the semester. So, chances are if you listen around campus or in your car, your favorite DJ is a student!

The Experience and Beyond

Currently I’m about to start my sixth show, and it more than likely will have aired by the time you’re reading this. It has been a really good experience so far. I was super nervous for my very first show, getting in there and just going at it, not really knowing what I was doing. Our training wheels consisted of order of operations, and some practice speaking a couple of lines and being familiar with the system. We had to come up with a show concept and figure out what music we wanted to play and have topics to talk about during the show before our first scheduled show. When it came time to take our training wheels off, it was basically like “here you go, don’t curse, and don’t mess up!”  So, the first show was a lot of figuring things out and finding a groove. Since the first one though, each show has gotten better for me. The people that I know listen to my show have given me nothing but support and encouragement.

I’ve enjoyed doing the show and it’s something that I think I want to continue doing even after my semester is over with. Have you ever wanted to have a radio show, or have you wondered what being on the radio would be like? Did you know that you can host your own radio show as a student, and that you don’t even have to be in the Digital Media Program? That’s right! If you want your own show, you can contact the station manager Marisa Weiman via email at: mweiman@gulfcoast.edu. Be sure to catch my show on Fridays, from 9am-10am on 90.7 HD3 on the radio, or by downloading the TuneIn radio app and searching for WKGC The Alternation.