WNTI Celebrates World College Radio Day

Turn on the channels and crank those levels! Student-DJs of WNTI, the radio station of Centenary University, celebrated the 14th annual World College Radio Day on Friday, Oct. 4.

Spearheaded by Studio Director John Del Re, the day honored college radio as a whole with student-run programs lasting for the majority of it, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Since college radio is seen as a unique form of media, it is highlighted and celebrated through a variety of ways at stations around the world.

“There’s multiple ways to get out your voice,” said Del Re. “But radio still has that place.”

World College Radio Day originated in 2010 by Rob Quicke - general manager of William Patterson University’s WPSC FM - to celebrate college radio. There is a different theme for each celebration highlighting certain aspects of the medium. This year’s theme was The Soundtrack of Democracy, which celebrates giving individuals a platform and using their voice to grow. 

Each DJ shares their own unique approach on their show, leading to non-stop variety on WNTI. On World College Radio Day, some noteworthy blocks including a Taylor Swift soundtrack hour on Victoria Autocunas' Living for Music and discussion about theater on Evan Flick’s Geek Talk.

“College radio is actually a perfect example of freedom of speech,” said Flick. “We’re allowed to say whatever we think… within reason, of course!”

“We need to accept that a college radio station is a part of our medium world,” said student-DJ William Boothe.

WNTI has celebrated World College Radio Day for years, but it saw dormancy throughout the early 2020s due to the COVID-19 pandemic and affected how DJs functioned (all DJs were required to wear a mask while live on air). Last year’s World College Radio Day saw a bit of resurgence for WNTI as more Centenary students signed on as DJs, with six live programs broadcast over the station including an interview with Centenary’s President, Dr. Dale Caldwell. College Radio Day 2023 was the most successful celebration of the occasion since pre-lockdown at the time. 

The station aimed to make 2024’s celebration even bigger. Advertising the event across campus and via social media, WNTI also held an open house which let students see their peers in action, learn more about the station, and give them the opportunity to sign up for their own show.

These efforts paid off greatly, as World College Radio Day 2024 saw the biggest turnout in broadcasted content the station has seen to date due to the sheer variety of it. The day showcased ten live programs, all run by WNTI’s enthusiastic DJs. These shows ranged from music hours to podcasts, and aimed to amplify student voices to make sure they are heard.

The list of live programs during this year’s World College Radio Day celebration included:

The Ticket Booth with Tanner Sullivan

Johnny D on the Air with Professor Del Re

Maelstrom Jams with Erin Cooper

TFL’s Grand Station with Tom Lazzaro

The College Nonsense Show with Halle Carlin, Shaina Hall, and Chelsea Hilaire

Geek Talk with Evan Flick

Living for Music with Victoria Autocunas

Radio Roulette with Maximus Klevence

Stuck in the Backstage with Leo Watson

Dog Bites with Mike Watterston

“College radio is a chance to speak your mind,” said Klevence. “[It lets students] share [their] music taste or share interests that [they] have for everyone else to hear.”

“The whole point of being on a radio show is having a mic and projecting your voice,” said student Nicholas Storms. “[It provides] an uplifting message [which] goes around as a trend.”

The artform of college radio has been celebrated at WNTI due to its creative versatility. There is a wide variety of who is behind the microphone, what type of show they produce, or who listens to a specific show. This diversity makes for a strong medium, which is elevated further by the energy from WNTI, courtesy of Del Re and hosts of the station’s shows.

World College Radio Day is celebrated to remind listeners that the medium is still alive and well, while encouraging the campus to tune in on their local station to catch the latest music, podcasts, news, and more. 

The celebration also highlights the importance of student-DJs, as they take the helm behind the microphone to create something special. The idea of starting a college radio show and broadcasting it for anyone around the world to listen to might seem daunting or even nerve-wracking for some. 

“When I started two years ago, I thought it was going to be a piece of cake,” said Boothe. “I learned the hard way that it required both time and effort.”

“The hardest part [is] just knowing what to play at the right time, especially when you are dealing with things outside of your control,” said Del Re.

DJs find themselves on the front lines covering situations of peril, according to Del Re. He recalled an instance where he had to broadcast live amid the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

“People really needed to know that there was somebody out there, that there was a voice on the other side of the speaker saying that it’s gonna be okay,” said Del Re. “Radio’s still a lifeline.”

With confidence and perseverance at their disposal, DJs find themselves pushing on through these struggles. Even in difficult times, college radio is always there for its audience. Student-DJs find themselves welcomed at the station from the moment they first turn the microphone on, as each time they do, it means something electrifying is about to begin.  

In addition to a wide amount of broadcasted content and hours of student air-time, the occasion also saw an increase in the station’s listeners. Typically, most student-run shows see between 3 and 8 listeners, depending on the day and time. However, due to increased promotion across campus via flyers and on-air bumpers, many programs saw upwards of 13 to 17 listeners, with a peak of 21 tuning in throughout the day. These number increases further elevated a successful College Radio Day celebration for WNTI.

Due to the increase in numbers and positive reception for college radio, the station looks to continue this yearly tradition, with more exclusive shows in tow each time. WNTI has always prioritized making student voices heard by giving them a platform to speak their mind through words or music. With this goal to celebrate World College Radio Day on an annual basis, it helps the station greatly as more DJs get involved and more content is produced, proving the medium’s point that in radio, all voices are welcome. 

“There’s multiple ways to get out your voice,” said Del Re. “Radio still has that place.”

If you are interested in joining WNTI, the station is located on the first floor of the Lackland building. You can also send an email our way at john.delre@centenaryuniversity.edu or tanner.sullivan@centenaryuniversity.edu.