By By Ryan Broderick, Senior News Editor
This semester The University’s radio station entered MTVU’s Woodie awards for best college radio station. Starting in the top 100 stations, WRHU has made it’s way to the top 50 and most recently it’s in the top 25.
According to Jenn Cefalu, WRHU Station Manager, “About a month ago our Operations Manager got an email from his friends informing him about it.” After that the radio station sent out emails, made Facebook events, and put up flyers asking students on campus to vote.
As for why they’ve placed so well this year, Cefalu explained, “we know about it [this year]. We’re reaching out to the rest of the school. Non-stop emails. We keep trying to get the word out.”
The awards started with 300 colleges and universities and now that it’s down to 25 things at WRHU are getting serious. “I know that Ithaca is up for it and they won last year,” Station Manager Cefalu remarked. “A lot of the other schools have big undergraduate numbers so we’re kind of worried about that.”
Adding to the energy in the office, their high placing in The Woodie Awards also happens to fall on their 50th anniversary. “”It’s very crazy. People are excited,” Cefalu said of the atmosphere in the office.
Associate Program Director John Santucci went into more detail about how the station is attempting to beat the competition. “We do a lot of cross promotion for our shows. Our listeners are behind us. We have people call in from all across the country. We have callers from Ohio. You’re seeing people knowing who we are.”
Santucci continued, explaining, “We’re asking all of our on air talent to mention it and support us. We’re using all of our different mediums. Regardless to whether you’re listening to us in your car or on the internet you’re going to see some sort of notification to vote for WRHU.”
The station’s excited about the award and according Santucci, the award’s important for the station. “”I think that from a Hofstra perspective you’re always looking to bring students to Hofstra. The school of Communication is the youngest school. With people not only seeing us winning from AP, they’re seeing us winning on MTV.” He continued, “when you see us win an AP award it’s with mom and dad, with a Woodie Award it’s kids saying ‘wow that’s pretty cool.'”
Last year’s winners, Ithaca College, say that last year’s win doesn’t mean they’re slacking off. “It’s going to be awesome defending our title as best college radio station in the woodie awards this year. I don’t really have any doubt that we’ll win again,” said Molly Freeman of Ithaca’s Radio Station, WICB.
As for whether or not they’re watching out for Hofstra, Freeman quipped, “I didn’t even know Hofstra had a radio station until I saw they were competition on the website. I saw the number of comments their station had and I’m not going to lie, I felt a little threatened. But both of Ithaca’s radio stations were nominated, so we must be pretty awesome.”
Courtesy of WRHU.org
