Student media emerges as one in busy homecoming weekend
Ryan Phillips - Sports Editor
This past weekend, executives from 105.9 WPFS and The Courier collaborated to promote student media during Monmouth’s homecoming celebration.
It began when WPFS’s executives set up for their annual College Radio Day open house last Friday, allowing students on campus access to 105.9’s studio equipment. The open house grabbed many of the students’ attention with a Chappell Roan vinyl giveaway led by Elena Fry-Hernandez to promote Monmouth Mixtapes.
Karli Strom, editor-in-chief of the Courier, was invited by WPFS to promote the student-led newspaper at the open house. “I feel really good coming in here,” Strom said, “I think there was a good turnout of individuals, and I think a lot of people learned more about what college radio is and what it could mean to them.”
The combination of WPFS and the Courier brings something new for student media. “It's really the idea that there is a lack of coverage in small rural communities, and it gives us an opportunity to not only cover what's going on just on campus in a new way, but it’s a new medium to try it through,” Strom said. “It creates a more conversational version of a story that's more creative, I can't see any reason why news and radio shouldn't be combined.”
After the open house, Strom and radio executives spent hours preparing for the annual homecoming parade, turning Strom’s Toyota into the “Radical Radio Runner.” The vehicle’s decoration consisted of real vinyl magnetized to the car doors, a student media sign on the hood, vinyl record wheel covers, and a speaker that played music.
“The combination of the Courier and the radio station and working together at the parade was interesting,” Jessica Beatriz, WPFS’s music manager said. “I think mainly because this year we weren't just only focusing on music, we also handed out the Courier’s papers.”
“Both radio and newspaper are becoming more of like a niche,” Beatriz said. “It's pretty interesting to bring awareness to both sides, but also showcase people what both of these media productions can do when they're together and how in the end they flow so well with one another.”
WPFS and Courier expect to continue to collaborate in the future. You can listen to 105.9 Proud Fighting Scots Radio by streaming on Caster FM. The Courier is available to pick up around campus each Friday and online at monmouthcollegecourier.org.