Radio Active

The station, located online at www.supermix.us, plays a variety of indie and alternative rock. Since hitting the Internet last September, student programmers and deejays have made the station their own. They pick the format. They pick the tracks. 

The operation is part of OCC’s Electronic Media Communication program. Some participants are leaning toward a career in audio production, but others concentrate on television or digital media. Wherever their academic interests lie, everyone has the same goal—to broadcast music and chatter that the community will enjoy. “It’s a chance for them to be creative and do their own thing,” Mangicaro added.

In addition to regular rotation, listeners can tune into specialty shows that range from metal to hip-hop to the popular, weekly Sports Corner talk show. At the helm is Quindell Williams. The sophomore started out as public relations director but moved up to operations manager this school year. His studies focus mainly on video, but he’s dedicated to making SuperMix a station the school can be proud of. “I think it’s amazing to see the effort everyone’s put in to make it prosper,” Williams said.

The Syracuse native hopes to apply what he’s learned at either Hofstra University or SUNY Oswego this fall. “{The experience} prepares you for the real world,” he said. “It helps you get over the fear of hearing your voice over the air.”

As cool as it would be, students don’t walk into the deejay booth and magically know how everything works. Before anyone speaks into the mike or sets a playlist, they must enroll in a course on radio production and history. Taught by Mangicaro, Introduction to Radio lays a foundation students carry into the studio. So far, freshmen have stayed put on the academic side of things. This week marks their entry into the real knobs and buttons. 

Williams said that the responsibility of working the station’s equipment is a pretty big task. “When I first started, I wasn’t comfortable at all,” he admitted. 

But sophomore Stephen Bond believes the only way to improve is to get your hands dirty. “The best way to learn is to get in the studio and dive right in.” 

Bond, the SuperMix programming director, co-hosts Sports Corner at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. The show covers national sports, but OCC teams, like the defending junior college national champion men’s lacrosse team, also receive attention. He may be confident now, but the former Bishop Ludden Gaelic Knight came crawling out of the gates. “I’m representing the station, I’m representing my school and I’m representing myself,” he said. “My biggest challenge was getting over the fear of hearing myself speak.”

For a lot of students like Bond, the best way to get acquainted with the technology is to dedicate as much time as possible to polishing their skills. Bond’s experience has allowed him to fill the roll of mentor to those just entering the world of broadcast radio. “I try to be a leader around the station whenever I can,” he said.

Not all SuperMix staffers plan on a career in radio; both Williams and Bond are focusing on television. But the dedication may pay off for students willing to stay in the field. “The consolidation of the industry has resulted in a very tight labor market for the most coveted positions,” Mangicaro said. “Fortunately, the outlook for lower paying entry level positions is a little brighter.”

With a format that serves up tunes beyond the mainstream rock that dominates Central New York airwaves, SuperMix no doubt offers something new. Still, Mangicaro said that competition is not the goal. Public service announcements take the place of traditional ad breaks. “We don’t want to step on the toes of any commercial stations in the area,” he said. So for now, the station is a teaching and a service to the community—a service that plays Tenacious D.

Tune into to live music shows at www.supermix.us daily from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Specialty shows go down on weekends and evenings. Listeners can e-mail requests to supermix@sunyocc.edu, or call them in at 498-2626.

—Jordan Edwards