In honor of VandyRadio’s upcoming Valentine’s Day broadcast, we sat down with Ben Dabney, the student station manager, who is here to answer all of your burning questions about this student organization.
What is VandyRadio?
VandyRadio is Vanderbilt’s premier popular music station, playing all over campus. It is entirely student-run and operated, with shows covering everything from classic rock to live sports coverage to bad movie reviews.
What is your role at VandyRadio and how did you first get involved at the station?
I’m the Station Manager, so my job is to make sure all of VandyRadio’s moving parts are working properly. I work with an exec board to keep everyone’s shows running smoothly and collaborate with other student groups. I was…aggressively recruited my freshman year at the org fair and I’ve been involved every year since!
How may Vanderbilt students participate as DJ’s/hosts at VandyRadio?
Currently we have almost 35 students doing weekly shows, with 4 trainees in the works. This semester especially has had a lot of new people interested in [VandyRadio].
How can students listen to VandyRadio?
You’ve probably heard us somewhere already! We play in Rand, Commons, EBI, and the Pub. Off-campus, we have a livestream on our app and website (vandyradio.com), as well as an Alexa skill on the Amazon store.
Why should students tune in to VandyRadio instead of Spotify or other listening choices?
Unlike Spotify or Pandora, VandyRadio content is managed by college students, for college students. Everything from the music to the news coverage is designed to appeal to that audience, because it IS that audience! That level of involvement just isn’t there with a corporate streaming service.
Tell everyone about your upcoming live Valentine’s broadcast?
On February 13, from 6-9 PM, we are doing a show live in the Commons Atrium. We’ll be playing music and giving out chocolate, but most importantly we’ll be reading notes submitted by students for their special someone. If you’ve been looking to tell them how you feel, this is your chance! (We all know everything sounds better in a “radio voice.”)
How can Vanderbilt students be a part of this live broadcast?
We need your notes! There are heart boxes in Commons Center, Branscomb Lobby, EBI Lobby, and Local Java to collect them. Leading up to the broadcast, we should also have an online form for last-minute entries. The day of, you can come visit us or just tune-in for the show! And don’t forget to tweet song requests to @vandyradio, we need some good love ballads.
Does VandyRadio take requests all the time, or just for this live event?
We take requests at most live events, but we let hosts manage their own playlists. If there’s something you want to hear, you can always call into the station during a show, or maybe try the booth yourself! It’s your hour; what you do with it is up to you.
Any other special upcoming broadcasts or events that you’d like students to know about?
Most importantly I want everyone to know that VandyRadio is always looking for new hosts! Training is a year-round event, and no experience is required. You could be up and running in less than two weeks as part of the soundtrack of campus life. Coming up, we are providing the music for the VALE Awards ceremony, and we may or may not be planning something special for St. Patrick’s Day. Stay tuned!