Shannon KeoughEvery Wednesday there are hot Philly news stories and wild Hollywood happenings flying through Cabrini’s airwaves. I have the awesome opportunity to co-host the show that features it all, the variety news show “We Need to Talk” on 89.1 WYBF-FM “The Burn.”
Cabrini College’s communication department has rocked my socks off ever since I transferred last fall. Not only are there many different options to expand your communication repertoire, but you can create ideas to keep growing in your field. That’s exactly what happened when Danielle Alio, Arielle Friscia, Rob Stoop and I began broadcasting this show on the radio.
“We Need to Talk” began last year as an entertainment video Web show originally featuring Danielle and several others, but was changed to a radio show this fall and given a new spin. The news we cover follows two sections, “Whaddup in Philly,” where Arielle and Rob give the scoop on the city, and entertainment news with the “Hollywood Hotties,” the segment starring Danielle and me.
In “We Need to Talk,” Danielle, Arielle, Rob and I keep the topics fascinating and fun. We feel it is important to have light-hearted issues discussed, but probing, serious issues as well. In recent weeks, we’ve discussed topics including the top five fall things to do in Philadelphia, Leona Lewis getting punched in the face, drinking on college campuses and of course a dash of Michael Jackson for good measure.
Being a co-host is a great opportunity for me to broaden my horizons in the communication field. It also gives me a strong feeling of accomplishment to research the stories and present them to an audience who is tuning in just for us. WYBF gives the chance for all students to personalize the radio shows they host through the classes they take. When a student has enough experience, the sky is the limit for on-air ideas.
After taking the Radio Broadcasting class, I fell in love with the field of radio. In that class I co-hosted a one-hour show with my friend and fellow student Marcel Bassett. Now, in addition to “We Need to Talk,” I also host my own show from 10 a.m. until noon on Fridays called “Noelle ’til Noon” which I began when I enrolled in Radio Practicum this semester.
For Danielle, Arielle, Rob and me, all of our hard work just paid off as we won the Philadelphia A.I.R Award for “Best College Radio News or Public Affairs Anchor or Host” on Nov. 5 of this year. Needless to say, we all felt an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and pride with this honor. We’ve learned that with a lot of effort and using our own unique skills, we can take the world by storm.
Three radio shows in two semesters and one major award; I can honestly say I have not heard of another college that gives such a terrific opportunity to their students. Many schools do not even allow their students to put their hands on communication equipment until junior year, but at Cabrini students are encouraged to hone their skills right away.
My favorite thing about being on the radio is that I can write up all the information I find interesting and broadcast it to people who want to hear it. Since I don’t like public speaking, this is a great way for me to get news out to the world. I also love working with people who have the same passion for radio as myself. WYBF definitely has the best of the bunch.
