Category | Arts & Living

Nine new DJs fill open positions at Owl Radio

Published on February 3, 2009 by Heather Cook

Owl Radio added an array of new DJs to their staff. These new music masters are Kimberly Helms, Andrew Groom, Jo Nicholson, Brittany Stansel, Jasmine Scott, Kate Sherman, Lorelei Marden, Ryan Tribble and Jeff Cebulski.

“We hired numerous new DJs this semester to fill up our open time slots,” Andy Levitz, program director of Owl Radio, said. “One of our listeners’ most common suggestions from last semester was to add more live DJs. Also, we wanted to diversify the music Owl Radio was playing as well as to be able to be more prominent on campus doing live remotes and covering sports events.”

Owl Radio is available online only. For broadcasting, they use Live365. If you go to ksuradio.com and look at the top of the left-hand column, there is a link that says “Listen Live.” If you click this link, it will bring you to Live365’s broadcasting page.

Also, Owl Radio can be listened to on just about any mp3 player, such as iTunes or Windows Media Player. In addition to having a live Web stream on Live365, Owl Radio also has a live webcam, which is located on their homepage at the top. You can also have a live chat through the webcam.  Many people, such as Jeff Cebulski, an English professor here at KSU, think it’s great that Owl Radio is available online. “Internet radio can be accessed around the world, so far-away relatives and friends can hear my show,” Cebulski said.

Owl Radio plays a variety of music, including indie, rock, metal and even jazz. Cebulski hosts his own jazz show. “I am hosting the jazz show ‘Jazz with Mr. C’ on Wednesday nights from 9–11,” Cebulski, a graduate of KSU’s Master of Arts in Professional Writing program, said. “I am also busy loading the music files with material from my collection.”

When asked why his addition to the radio would be beneficial, Cebulski said, “I hope that my over 30 years in the radio business will be evident by the way I conduct my show, and perhaps I can occasionally offer some wisdom to the staff and management. I don’t at all want to be pushy—these people are working hard.” Cebulski enjoys many other types besides jazz. “I think traditional opera is the only kind I really don’t like,” he said.

In addition to Cebulski’s show, there is also BeezWaxx with Berlin; Ready. Set. Jo! with Jo; Siren Songs with Rose; Monday Night Metal with Andrew; Shenanigans and Happy Go Indie! with Kate and Lorelai.

In regards to the Happy Go Indie! Show, Lorelai ‘Lily’ Marden said, “If anything creative needs to be done, I’m the person. I swear that I would put my sweat, grim and the right side of my brain into any type of work that comes my way. If you don’t believe that, then check out the Happy Go Indie! blog page on ksuradio.com. I put it together and would like to think that it is somewhat of a creative addition to the Owl Radio Web site.”

The new DJs, along with the old crew, have an array of duties to fulfill besides their two hours a week on-air time. “DJs are responsible for choosing the music that plays on-air during their show, and being prepared to talk to the listeners about their music, happenings around KSU, or whatever fits in their show format,” Levitz said. “They have to be able to interact with the listeners by taking phone calls and communicating through the webcam chat room. DJs are also responsible for staffing the many teams of Owl Radio. For example, we have a sports team that broadcasts KSU sports games and a promotions team that’s responsible for promoting Owl Radio and sponsoring events.” 

DJs must dedicate two hours a month in addition to their on-air time. These two hours can consist of editing the music for on-air time or posting flyers. DJs are not paid, but many of the DJs join for other reasons. For example, Brittany Sharpa, returning DJ and also a junior majoring in art, said, “I wanted a forum through which to provide people with the opportunity to hear new and upcoming music and also music they may have missed that no one should ever have to miss.”

Marden said she joined the Owl Radio staff to gain experience. “I have never done anything like this and have actually come to enjoy being forced to sit in a room with Sherman for two hours and talk to friends online,” she said.

There is also a store available through Owl Radio’s site. The online store features apparel, totes, dog clothing, clocks, buttons, magnets and even thongs that features the Owl Radio logo.