Calling All Future DJs
by Erin Wang (王慶寧)
Have you ever dreamed about becoming a radio broadcaster? Maybe hosting your own program? Well, it doesn't have to remain a dream any longer. There is now a place where you can turn your dream into reality, without waiting another ten or twenty years: the NTU Student Station.
The NTU Student Station is a liberal forum for NTU students to discuss and exchange ideas. Set your radio dial at 98.3-98.5 FM any Sunday afternoon and you may hear the voice of someone you know--like NTU Student Association president Wang Ching-ning, talking on the controversial showing of porn videos in Women's Dorm #3 last March. Or you may hear a report on the NTU club you just joined last week. Or an interview with a member of Gay Chat, or a presentation on classical music.
The programs are currently hosted by the Radio and TV Study Club, founded early last semester. The NTU Student Station previously operated under the NTU Student Association, a connection that influenced both the content and overall tone of the programming. Actually, the NTU Student Station would be better described as a "program", since their broadcasts air only once a week over the Voice of Taiwan, an underground radio station. Liu Nai-wei (劉乃瑋), the club's chairman, is working toward making the NTU Student Station legal. If the club is successful in this mission, NTU Student Radio will have its own frequency and be able to serve its listeners twenty-four hours a day.
The club currently has a four-hour block of airtime every Sunday, which in fact offers plenty of room for creativity. Liu says the club has mapped out seven main areas they plan to cover in their broadcasts, though not all of them have corresponding programs at the present time. Campus news, music, culture, and entertainment are already regular features; programs focusing on teaching, drama, and travel will gradually be added. Liu says that people from all disciplines are welcome to contribute. A student majoring in finance, for example, once offered money management advice over the NTU airwaves, and a medical college student discussed health issues. Once the station is legalized, Liu hopes to round up special guests from other clubs to provide a wide spectrum of viewpoints.
The NTU Student Station is divided into three departments: engineering, programming, and news. The staff holds routine staff meetings before and after each weekly program to ensure quality control. When asked how he felt about working four long hours in a row, Yang Ying-chieh, deputy director of engineering, admitted that it gets to be a bit tiring sometimes, but said that he finds the work interesting. Liu says she enjoys doing the programs, and particularly looks forward to the get-togethers the staff often has after the show.
The programs take call-ins, some of which have caught the program hosts off guard. Liu recalled some of the calls she fielded her first time on the air. She had worked hard to produce a good program, and was excited to get her first call-in, expecting a laudatory listener comment. However, after the caller said hello, he launched into a summons for listeners to support a protest rally somewhere in the city! Another caller rang them up to ask if someone at this number had just telephoned him a minute ago. Liu still finds call-ins challenging, and she is often touched by callers who give the radio staff encouragement.
Although the station is short on staff, Liu says the club did not want to take in a lot of new hands and voices until the present staff figured out more of the nuts and bolts of broadcasting. She says she hopes to get a group of professional broadcasters to train newcomers.
"The biggest problem for a station like ours," Liu explained, "is that students have to concentrate on their academic work. When exam time rolls around, programs suffer. The situation is all the worse when you lack adequate manpower." She is hoping the problem will take care of itself once they start actively recruiting new members spring semester.
Hey, it's now! So here is your big chance for your weekly four hours or so of fame--don't let it slip through your fingers!
Have you ever dreamed about becoming a radio broadcaster? Maybe hosting your own program? Well, it doesn't have to remain a dream any longer. There is now a place where you can turn your dream into reality, without waiting another ten or twenty years: the NTU Student Station.
The NTU Student Station is a liberal forum for NTU students to discuss and exchange ideas. Set your radio dial at 98.3-98.5 FM any Sunday afternoon and you may hear the voice of someone you know--like NTU Student Association president Wang Ching-ning, talking on the controversial showing of porn videos in Women's Dorm #3 last March. Or you may hear a report on the NTU club you just joined last week. Or an interview with a member of Gay Chat, or a presentation on classical music.
The programs are currently hosted by the Radio and TV Study Club, founded early last semester. The NTU Student Station previously operated under the NTU Student Association, a connection that influenced both the content and overall tone of the programming. Actually, the NTU Student Station would be better described as a "program", since their broadcasts air only once a week over the Voice of Taiwan, an underground radio station. Liu Nai-wei (劉乃瑋), the club's chairman, is working toward making the NTU Student Station legal. If the club is successful in this mission, NTU Student Radio will have its own frequency and be able to serve its listeners twenty-four hours a day.
The club currently has a four-hour block of airtime every Sunday, which in fact offers plenty of room for creativity. Liu says the club has mapped out seven main areas they plan to cover in their broadcasts, though not all of them have corresponding programs at the present time. Campus news, music, culture, and entertainment are already regular features; programs focusing on teaching, drama, and travel will gradually be added. Liu says that people from all disciplines are welcome to contribute. A student majoring in finance, for example, once offered money management advice over the NTU airwaves, and a medical college student discussed health issues. Once the station is legalized, Liu hopes to round up special guests from other clubs to provide a wide spectrum of viewpoints.
The NTU Student Station is divided into three departments: engineering, programming, and news. The staff holds routine staff meetings before and after each weekly program to ensure quality control. When asked how he felt about working four long hours in a row, Yang Ying-chieh, deputy director of engineering, admitted that it gets to be a bit tiring sometimes, but said that he finds the work interesting. Liu says she enjoys doing the programs, and particularly looks forward to the get-togethers the staff often has after the show.
The programs take call-ins, some of which have caught the program hosts off guard. Liu recalled some of the calls she fielded her first time on the air. She had worked hard to produce a good program, and was excited to get her first call-in, expecting a laudatory listener comment. However, after the caller said hello, he launched into a summons for listeners to support a protest rally somewhere in the city! Another caller rang them up to ask if someone at this number had just telephoned him a minute ago. Liu still finds call-ins challenging, and she is often touched by callers who give the radio staff encouragement.
Although the station is short on staff, Liu says the club did not want to take in a lot of new hands and voices until the present staff figured out more of the nuts and bolts of broadcasting. She says she hopes to get a group of professional broadcasters to train newcomers.
"The biggest problem for a station like ours," Liu explained, "is that students have to concentrate on their academic work. When exam time rolls around, programs suffer. The situation is all the worse when you lack adequate manpower." She is hoping the problem will take care of itself once they start actively recruiting new members spring semester.
Hey, it's now! So here is your big chance for your weekly four hours or so of fame--don't let it slip through your fingers!
posted by Novia N.W. Liu | 10:32 上午
