SoJ Web Report | March 5, 2010
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| Courtesy photo |
| Media Scholars took a turn on the airwaves during a recent visit to WJCP-AM in North Vernon. From left are Juan Cano, station news director Albert Stormes, Jessica Wimsatt, Meredith Reffner and mentor Marty Pieratt. |
Juan Cano, Jessica Wimsatt and Meredith Reffner joined Visiting Professor Marty Pieratt and Director of Experiential Learning Kahtleen Lee in the hour-long trip the station, which Pieratt owns. As mentor for the Media Scholars, he said he wanted to give them a taste of broadcast.
“They came up with their own short pieces and also took things off the wire,” said PIeratt, who has had a career in radio in southern Indiana and in TV news in the Cincinnati area. “This was the night of the IU-Purdue game, so it was a good test of their objectivity.”
The station has an oldies format but also airs sports and news. News director Albert Stormes helped the students get started.
In his written report after the experience, freshman Juan Cano recalled the students jumping in, reading on the air.
“We each stumbled on our words,” he said. “It was like a baby walking for the first time.”
But they quickly got into the groove, he said, reading more smoothly and helping Stormes with some of the station’s features, such as McDonald’s trivia, some jokes and even ads. They picked out some songs and learned a bit about the computerized system.
Pieratt said the station streams on the Internet at wjcpradio.com, so far-away friends and family could listen to the students.
“It was good for them to have a chance to be on the air, to be able to read news, sports and weather,” he said. “It was a good introduction.”
- Read more about admission to the program here.
- Read a recent story, "Media Scholars wrap up fall semester"
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