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WFUV Public Radio from Fordham University
Fordham and WFUV:
The Supporting Cast
Article By Andrea Mullon, Spring 2002
To foster its mission through radio broadcasting, Fordham University has established these goals for WFUV.
WFUV's professional staff has grown exceptionally over
the past few years, but all staff members agree that the station would not
function without the help of the 51 students who work here. General Manager
Ralph Jennings regards them as "the most creative and available workforce
[we've] got." He jokes, "If they went on strike, WFUV would
collapse." Students usually begin by performing clerical work, so if you
call the station, you may talk to a student. Many students then move into one
of the following fields:
News and Public Affairs
WFUV's news department is composed of more students
than any other department at the station. News and Public Affairs Director
Julianne Welby and Assistant News and Public Affairs Director George Bodarky,
both Fordham alumni, explain that one of the main reasons they both came to
work at 'FUV was to work with students. "It's rewarding to
watch them learn and grow," says George. And the students do learn a
great deal. They have the same responsibilities any other professional
journalist would have. This includes editing sound bites, interviewing
newsmakers, writing stories, reporting and anchoring.
Students also handle Public Service Announcements and the
rebroadcasts of Fordham lectures. Mary Hardy, the host of the Fordham Lecture
series on WFUV, is grateful for the hands-on experience she is getting, from
writing newscasts and anchoring to producing: "I'm constantly
learning something new about radio, and as a junior I feel extremely lucky to
have all this at my fingertips." Ellen Hogarty, a grad student, and Tom
Winter, a freshman, both work on the weekday morning show. Tom comments, "I enjoy the
creativity of being able to put together segments that will impact and inform
our listeners."/p>
Sports
"I rely on them 100%," says Sports Producer Bob
Ahrens of the students he works with and teaches. In the two-part sports
workshop, students learn the trade by hearing sports professionals speak and by
participating in hands-on training. After completing the workshops, students
participate in a variety of sports programs, including One on One, New York's longest running
sports call-in show, live broadcasts of Fordham basketball and football games,
daily sportscasts, and reporting on local professional sports teams. Andrew Bogusch,
a senior, sums up his WFUV experience by saying, "Without it I'd be
a much different person. It's prepared for the real world much better
than any class or assignment has."
In the last five years, WFUV's sports department has
been to the World Series, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, and the Stanley Cup,
courtesy of the teams themselves. They have six programs in the archives of
the Baseball Hall of Fame, one program in the NFL Films archives, and one
program in the archives of The Museum of Television and Radio.
Engineering
The engineering department plays an essential role in making
the music played on 'FUV sound as great as it does. Students in the
engineering department are responsible for mixing bands that visit the station,
producing shows, and maintaining studios. "I meet a lot of people,"
says Erich Rastetter, a student engineer. "As a musician myself, I find
it interesting to work with other musicians." George Evans, Director of
Technical Operations, enjoys teaching and seeing his students benefit from the
experience he provides for them: "It gives me a chance to share what
I've learned. It's really exciting to see when they 'get it.'"
Music and Programming
When new artists send their CD's to WFUV in hope of
landing some airtime, Music Manager Steven Fornatele is the first to listen to
them: "I enjoy the experiences I have discovering new artists and the
friends I've made in the record business." Steve helps Music
Director Rita Houston and Asst. Music Director Russ Borris in deciding which
artists will be played on the air. Steve's presence is greatly valued by
Russ: "Steve has a witty, bubbly personality that adds a touch of joy to
the office." Jean Waters is WFUV's Program Manager. She helps to
implement the programming set by WFUV Program Director Chuck Singleton, distributing
program information to various print sources, and assisting with all aspects of
programming.
Promotions
Because of its popularity, WFUV's Member Line demands
much responsibility from the students who maintain it. The students in the
department each have a key role in its upkeep. They secure shows and ticket
offers, recruit new businesses to become MemberCard partners, and run the
On-Line Events Calendar, a new feature on the station's website. Promotions
Director Janeen Shaitelman values having students manage the constantly
evolving Member Line because it allows her to focus on long-term promotions
projects. According to Member Line Manager Kim Rudolph, Janeen's
guidance has been appreciated: "In the two years I've been working
at WFUV, I feel I've gained a better knowledge of radio broadcasting,
especially in the field of promotions."
Traffic and Marketing
Jewel Hayes, WFUV's Traffic Manager, is indispensable.
The program logs she puts together are essential, both for the FCC and for the
hosts who couldn't do their shows without knowing what program elements,
promos, and underwriting announcements to run. "It's great to know
that I play such an important part in how this station sounds," says
Jewel. Andrea Mullon, Development and Marketing Manager, helps with
WFUV's corporate underwriting activities and, as this article shows,
assists in the writing and editing of the program guide.
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