Being the voice that’s heard across campus can be intimidating. Not everyone is cut out for this role. Journalism and media studies juniors Jack Haworth and Patrick Carr are experiencing firsthand what it’s like to run their own radio show on the air this semester.
Haworth and Carr host a sports radio show called “The Sports Beat” at KCR College Radio every Thursday from 12-1 p.m. The week leading up to the show, Haworth and Carr will brainstorm story ideas, find information online and outline what they are going to talk about on the show. They will generally meet up the night before the show and finalize their content and important plays that caught their attention. During the show Haworth and Carr will mainly provide commentary on football, baseball and college sports.
“Sometimes we will do fun segments like “bonehead of the week,” which will be some dumb play,” Haworth said.
Hosting an independent radio show can be challenging at times.
“When you are doing the show, you are multitasking—looking up a story and already thinking about what you are going to say before you say it,” Haworth said.
Haworth and Carr sometimes have friendly arguments on-air when discussing opposing teams. Haworth being from Southern California and Carr from Northern California makes for an interesting debate.
“We always argue on a lot of things because we have rival sports teams,” Haworth said.
Haworth adds it’s important to state facts and statistics to back up what they are saying so the listeners know their opinion is credible. At KCR, students get hands-on experience with live radio broadcasting and learn much about what it takes to be a host.
“It is a great opportunity. It’s fun, and Patrick and I have a great time doing the show,” Haworth said.
KCR focuses on listenership, featuring programs specifically for certain types of students and focusing on student needs. Its main priority is connecting with the students at San Diego State and giving them the best experience it can. From poetry readings to newscasts, the station will accommodate what the students want.
“Our members are really connected to each other and are very reliable,” sociology and media studies senior and General Manager of KCR Matthew Anderson said. “Everyone is working toward the same goal of serving our students, having a good time and getting a really good vocational experience.”
Student hosts are in control of their own shows regarding content, music and the style of the show, as long as it’s deemed appropriate. Students are given the opportunity to experiment and learn the mechanics of running a show. Hosts are also able to record their shows so they have a demo to show employers their abilities.
“Students that are dedicated, care, and really put in effort are always going to be able to be on the air,” Anderson said.
Students looking to get on-air experience at KCR should apply online the first two weeks of the semester. The programing director will then contact applicants about training sessions. Students can also look for the KCR table on campus the last two weeks of fall semester and the first two weeks of spring semester to gather additional information.
Students can listen to KCR on its website by clicking “listen live,” or by tuning into the radio app.
Photos by Wesley Beights, staff photographer
