WRNJ's Joyce Estey Returns to Centenary University

Back on the Air

The airwaves of WRNJ Radio have found their way back to the campus of Centenary University! Joyce Estey, the radio station’s news director, visited the students of the Newspaper Production Studio course on Tuesday, Feb. 24, returning to Centenary after previously visiting the Intro to Journalism class in fall 2024. Involved with radio for decades, Estey utilized this opportunity to educate up-and-coming student-journalists about the significance of local news. 

“By being journalistic in whatever you put out there, you will develop your own reputation for honesty,” said Estey. “You can have all the money in the world, but your own reputation is what’s so important.”

The session began with a recap of several timely news stories, in order to ensure the student-journalists were up-to-date on current events. These included the United States’s recent gold medal hockey win at the Olympics, the impact of winter storm Fernando, and the current status of conflicts in Mexico.

“These are the kind of things that happen in the world of the national front,” said Estey. “But that is not what I cover.”

In her position as news director of WRNJ, Estey covers local news within the Northwest Jersey area, including in Hackettstown – where the station is located. This approach allows WRNJ to keep listeners aware of what’s happening locally. But this does not mean that she completely shies away from national news. In fact, the station still highlights nationwide headlines along with local stories, keeping listeners aware of the latest significant happenings, even outside of Northwest Jersey.

To coincide with this, Estey revisited the news stories discussed at the beginning, asking students what specific details she could mention to find the local angle of a national story. For example, winter storm Fernando was revisited, with students suggesting Estey alert listeners of safety, driving conditions, and potential power outages when discussing the storm in a local sense.

“You put [news] together the best way you know how,” said Estey. “It’s very important to me that my local understanding of it is there.”

Estey also explored her role in radio, and how it correlates with the way local news is broadcast. In her position, Estey only has two primary tools to bring these stories to life: a microphone and her voice. In concept, using nothing but audio to bring key points to life can seem intimidating, especially finding the right balance to keep listeners engaged with every story. She emphasized the importance of broadcast news, and how those behind the microphone can make their points clear – even if the stories themselves are not always significant – with the goal of finding ways to make them relevant to their audience. 

“You have to make it sound like it is such vital information,” said Estey. “Presentation is everything. You have to make sure that it’s thorough.”  

But despite the importance of making a news story engaging, as Estey described, not all sources broadcast or share them in an objective way. Presently, there has been some discourse surrounding the delivery of news, as certain reports are editorialized for the sake of spreading biases rather than stating the facts. Estey highlighted the detrimental nature of this practice, and the impact it leaves on the field.

“The very undoing of media is because of everything being couched in opinion,” said Estey. “It is info-tainment, it is not journalistic, and it should be journalistic.”

Two Students, One Interview

After exploring many concepts surrounding local news and the way it impacts others, Estey led the students in a mock interview to demonstrate the importance of conducting an objective conversation on the fly. 

“One of the things reporters have to do is think on their feet,” said Estey. “You have to just know the issue enough to ask that initial question, which is always the most important one.”

The interview exercise saw two students seated and facing each other. One student was the interviewer, while the other was the interviewee. They were driven by exaggerated prompts which often led to humorous results – including interviews with flower expert Lilly Von Tulip and a gardener, hockey player Quentin Hughes and a sports journalist, and plastic surgeon Dr. Billy Botox with an entertainment insider. Many students viewed this as a highlight of Estey’s visit, particularly in how it balanced out humor with learning real-world skills.

“I loved the interview exercise,” said Alexis d’Ambly, the Cyclone Chronicle’s editor-in-chief. “I had to think on my feet, but it was so much fun talking as the designer of Taylor Swift’s wedding dress.”

“The activity was engaging and enjoyable to watch,” said staff writer Charles Bowker. “I got a laugh from every scenario.”

“I loved the interviewing activity and being Billy Botox, Cher’s plastic surgeon,” said managing editor Carlee Nigro. “I got to learn how to make interview questions and how to act when interviewing.”

Final Thoughts

The student-journalists enjoyed Estey’s presentation, with many praising her energy and knowledge in her field.

“Joyce was such a wonderful person who brought such a fantastic perspective to journalism,” said managing editor Carmella Vitel. “What I will take away is the importance of being able to think on the fly.”

“It was a joy to have Joyce!” said staff writer Dave Annisafee. “She brought up a lot of points about news coverage but didn’t make it dull.”

Students also praised Estey’s knowledge in conducting interviews, highlighting the effective learning nature of the mock activity.

“She had a lot of good advice and I really loved the mock interviews she had us do,” said managing editor Elizabeth May. “She really drove home the point that you could interview anyone.”

“Interviewing is truly an art and impressive skill,” said managing editor Sami Swayze. “Joyce voiced that through her talk while also being funny.”

Some even discovered their own skills in the field through it!

“Apparently, I’m really good at interviewing on the fly!” said staff writer Joey Romano. “I learned that when it comes to this kind of stuff, stop overthinking and just DO IT.”

WRNJ broadcasts live on a daily basis, balancing out music – old and new – with hourly newscasts throughout the day. For more information about WRNJ’s crew, or the latest updates in Northwest Jersey news, you can visit their website.