Studio 1300: Turning up the dial on student voices

In the depths of the basement of Kea, you may be lucky enough to spot a man with medium-length graying curly hair and a scarf long enough to touch the floor. This man is John Doyle, a communications professor at Eastern University and he is slaving away to bring Eastern its new student-led radio station: Studio 1300, where faith, reason and justice find their voice. 

For the past couple of months, Doyle and his leadership team of students have been creating this radio station, almost from the ground up. This has involved collaboration with IT, Eastern’s marketing and communication studies department. He has fought valiantly with computers and sound boards, but finally, in March, Studio 1300 will be available for all of Eastern to hear. 

Studio 1300 will have a rotation of student DJs picking the programming for a one to two-hour slot, being able to chat about whatever they want to and put on whatever genre of music they want. The best part about this is anyone could be a student DJ! If you’re a yapper or have a passion for music, you’d be a perfect fit for the Studio 1300 team. Email john.doyle@eastern.edu to begin the process of starting a show. 

Doyle hopes that the radio station will be played in common spaces throughout the university. William Cunningham, one of the students involved in Studio 1300 explained that “it gives students the ability to hear each other’s voices and hear about what’s going on.” No longer will you need to scroll through long emails to learn about the weekly happenings at Eastern, and instead all you have to do is tune in to Studio 1300. 

But what kinds of programming do we have already lined up?

Show 1

DJ: William Cunningham, senior communication studies major.

Radio show: Inside the Nest, playing on Monday mornings.

Elevator pitch: A show that specifically highlights Eastern sports. “Whether it’s the recaps of games, certain highlights, certain players whose performances standout throughout the week, […] what teams could make the conference tournament.” 

Show 2

DJs: Emily Lichius, senior English major, and Colin Tomczak, senior English major.

Radio show: The Spice of Life, playing on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Elevator pitch: “There’s a big variety,” in both music tastes between the two and the conversation topics, “and they say variety is the spice of life,” said Tomczak, one half of the spice of life duo.

Show 3

DJ: Hannah Gerber, sophomore communication studies major.

Radio show: The Porchlight Sessions, on Wednesdays at 4 p.m to 6 p.m.

Elevator pitch: I’ll be listening to folk and indie music, getting homework done and probably ranting about the current book I’m reading. If you like Noah Kahn and the season of the sticks you’ll enjoy my show!

Show 4

DJ: Anisah Smith, junior marketing major.

Radio show: Dumpster Fire playing Monday nights from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Elevator pitch: “My brain is like a dumpster,” said Smith, “I’ve got garbage and build up and no friends. So somebody’s got to hear it. And then for my music, I’m not just doing one genre, of course. So that’s it. It’s garbage. Tune in!” If Smith can’t convince you to listen to their station, then I don’t know what will. 

Show 5

DJs: Paul McConnell, junior communication studies major, and John Nolek, sophomore. 

Radio show: JNPM Sports, playing on Tuesday mornings, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Elevator pitch: “The show is two guys talking [Philly] sports and jamming to some of the greatest Philly walk-up songs.” 

This new radio station will launch at the beginnings of our Centennial celebrations, to show how far Eastern has come and how much it has progressed in all of its major specializations. Stay tuned for how you can listen, 24/7, starting on March 13.