Students’ Web radio show becomes international hit
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/02/2009
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At Purdue, Scrantonicity is not a place found on “The Office,” but a place where students play music and talk about TV.
A two-hour Friday Web radio show called “Scrantonicity” started last spring. Bekah Garman, a sophomore in the College of Engineering, attended the callout for Wiley Hall’s Web-based radio station, WILY, and then asked Amanda Larkin, a sophomore in the College of Liberal Arts, to join. Larkin then asked Stephanie Edwards, a sophomore in the College of Science, to be a third disc jockey.
Larkin said a reason behind working as DJs is doing something other than school work. She enjoys the job – listening to and playing music – and the atmosphere of the workplace, where DJs talk about TV shows and current biz events.
“Also to become famous, as a best case scenario,” Edwards said.
Larkin said the program is focused on the television show “The Office,” which inspired the name “Scrantonicity.”
During the program, the DJs play requested music, talk about popular TV shows and discuss opinions about showbiz events and celebrity news.
Requests and talks are made via phone calls, e-mails and a TV-blog added to the show two months after it took off. Edwards said they play 20 requested songs on average – mostly techno and parody songs, as well as music that coincides with their talk.
Fans include friends from school, regular callers, the TV-blog readers and people who just call for requests. The interaction via TV-blog improved the popularity of the show.
“We are international – a guy from the U.K. calls,” Edwards said.
Sometimes funny acts involving current news take place to spark discussion with fans.
“We interrupted a Kanye West song and played a Taylor Swift song,” Larkin said.
The three DJs hope to maintain the popularity of “Scrantonicity” and to widen their fan base over time.
“There is a Youtube show that we’re going to start soon,” Larkin said.