Communiqué
New Black Student Radio Program and Podcast premiered Sunday, January 30 at 6 p.m.
< < Back toAt the Moment airs each Sunday at 6 p.m.
ATHENS, OH – A new WOUB radio program and podcast is launching this weekend in partnership with the Black Student Communication Caucus (BSCC) at Ohio University called At the Moment.
“The program will provide perspective on what Black students deal with on campus at Ohio University,” said BSCC President and Program Producer/Host Nia Dumas. “Ohio University is a predominantly white institution (PWI) and there are many challenges Black students face in our classes, with our professors and in our day to day lives.”
The 30-minute program will premiere on WOUB AM on Sunday, January 30 at 6 p.m. The show will have an interview/conversation style format with multiple student hosts to tackle many different issues. The first episode will focus on dating at a PWI. A podcast version of the program will be available on woub.org/listen in the future.
“As a minority on campus, we as Black students have to get comfortable being uncomfortable. We are going to tackle many of the issues we face,” said Dumas. “For example, there are many times where there is only one black student in a class and the content we are learning comes from a majority white perspective. So, we have to constantly outsource for information.”
The title for the program came from an idea the students had for a series of videos at BSCC a few years go.
“We just held on to that title and hoped we could do something with it someday,” said Dumas. “It means that At the Moment we are dealing with a lot of different issues, and the title has a sense of urgency because it’s important to talk about them now.”
Currently there are five students working on the program and each are excited to learn all the different aspects of what goes into producing a radio program and podcast.
“It’s allowing us to be active journalists and active producers,” said Dumas. “We have to educate ourselves on the different topics, and we have students helping with production and editing.”
The partnership between BSCC and WOUB is a continuation of a collaboration which has produced past programs such as the Relevant Show, The 740, Shades of Color, and Black Directions.
WOUB Director of Radio Rusty Smith said, “The program’s content will be enlightening for many radio listeners on the Ohio University campus and throughout Athens County, as well as podcast listeners beyond our listening area. We are excited about this new venture.”
“Each year, we will train the next year’s At the Moment producers and hosts,” said Dumas. “A program like this, from a Black perspective, is so important to have on the air at WOUB. White students who attempt to cover the Black student experience on campus don’t have the right perspective. The information needs to come right from the source. Being here at a PWI is not easy. We hope the program can educate our white counterparts and encourage them to show us grace because every day can be a battle.”