The Man Behind the Curtain: John Del Re, Director of WNTI.org

John Del Re, director of WNTI.org–the Sound of Centenary–and professor of audio production, has been a Cyclone since 2003, and has been making sure all voices of Centenary are heard since then. After graduating from Centenary in 2007 with a degree in communication, Del Re began serving as the station's operations manager in July 2009. As the years progressed, he eventually took the mantle of the station’s director, a position which he maintains to this very day.

WNTI is an online radio station – different from its competitors, which mainly utilize FM or AM frequencies – meaning it can be accessed anywhere around the world, as long as there’s a stable internet connection. With Del Re in charge, it serves as an outlet for campus creativity through a variety of unique radio shows, primarily run by students and other volunteers. These range from music hours to special talk shows and podcasts, each performed weekly by a talented crew of DJs.

We caught up with Del Re recently to hear what he had to say about his journey at the helm of Centenary’s college radio station.

What were some of your favorite things about the radio station in your early days at WNTI?

Well, back then, we were still a station that was kind of keeping it old school. Yes, we had computer automation that helped us throughout the day, playing commercials, and assisting with production work. However, when we were on air, we played off CDs. We were playing off albums. 

We had a lot of freedom to just kind of wing it. And it's kind of the old way of doing stuff. We just tried to keep it traditional. It was meshing all the volunteers and meeting all the community members who support the radio station. They came from all different backgrounds; many different perspectives, different musical tastes, and it just kind of all meshed together. Like a melting pot.

What are some of your favorite things about this station today? 

It’s an exciting time at WNTI. Seeing the students and the way they put effort into their programming is something I enjoy.  They are not using AI to do their voice but rather using their own voice. You are looking at–listening to–something they're creating on their own. There's still an interest out there for radio. As far as equipment, we have a new console, so students are really excited about that. They are also starting to podcast on their own. So I think it's kind of an exciting time. I just like being around the students; I like their energy. 

What is your vision for the future of WNTI?

I see us evolving into more podcasting. I think that is the future. I see us doing a lot more talk radio. It's very hard to predict each semester because each semester brings a new batch of students, and they have their own different views, and different tastes

Do you have a favorite moment–past or present– at the radio station?

Well, there are several favorite moments.

Moving this radio station from the Seay building to Lackland in 2011 was an endeavor. It was not until March that we had everything fully moved to Lackland and fully operational. So that was a favorite moment because we were in a really crummy part of the Seay building, and to come over to Lackland and to have actual real studios was really amazing. I thought at that point, we really made it, and I was part of something.

I also got to attend a lot of concerts for the radio station. I was able to get us into some really great venues, really great shows.  I think the fourth date with my wife was seeing Nico Case at Radio City Music Hall.

Any other radio gigs besides WNTI?

I did a few football games for WRNJ, the other radio station in town. It was around 2008. I was their board op, and then I was the field engineer and set things up. Occasionally, I would be their stat guy and take down stats.

For our station, we've switched from a wave frequency radio to something else. Can you explain that? 

We switched in 2015; the FM license was sold to WXPN of Pennsylvania, and then we became online only. With FM, you're subject to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. Frequencies can also have their own boundaries, with the highest wattage you could broadcast out of reaching further locations in a similar area. And with streaming, you basically can do whatever you want within reason. There is still licensing you have to pay, but you're not subject to the FCC language rules, legal ID rules. There's a lot more freedom. And plus, everyone's got a smart device now. So anybody could listen to anyone in the world. With FM, you're limited to the tower.

Over the years, WNTI has gone through a long journey to get to where it is now. It faced many challenges – including a restructure of how it is broadcast – but now, it has become a staple of Centenary through its emphasis on student creativity and variety of programming. 

Del Re’s commitment and dedication to the station have helped it to remain relevant, showcasing the true impact of what occurs behind the airwaves.