SUNY Orange launches streaming Internet radio station

Middletown - Boasting a format that includes classic rock music, talk, interviews, educational programming, audio books and classic radio shows, SUNY Orange launched Colt Rock Radio, a student-oriented streaming Internet radio station this past Monday, Feb. 5. Colt Rock will feature 12 hours of “new” daily programming from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with that same 12-hour block being re-broadcast “overnight” from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Friday’s shows will be re-aired throughout the weekend. Typical live music-talk radio formats, with musical artists ranging from Aerosmith to The Beatles, will be sprinkled among current events reporting, taped interviews with faculty and staff, assorted lecture series and announcements of the latest happenings at the College. Colt Rock can be accessed via the SUNY Orange Web site at www.sunyorange.edu/coltrock. “The goal of this station is to get the college’s name out into the community,” said Linda Fedrizzi, a SUNY Orange professor who oversees the management of the station. Fedrizzi and Richard Heppner, the College’s associate vice president for liberal arts, were instrumental in taking the station from concept to reality. “The station gives those students with a desire to be in the media industry an outlet to showcase their talents,” Fedrizzi added. “The students are honing their on-air talent, developing editing and production skills, and learning about all aspects of managing and operating a radio station.” A group of seven student disc jockeys, including two student reporters, is responsible for the bulk of the programming, although faculty and staff members will be involved as well. Colt Rock has been streaming on a test basis since mid November. During the week of Jan. 22-29, 123 people logged onto Colt Rock Radio, accounting for almost 60 hours of listening time. Nearly half of the listeners were from the New York metropolitan area, but logins were recorded from France, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Uruguay, India and Japan. Fedrizzi added that talks are under way to develop a digital radio production course, through the College’s Arts and Communications Department, to help supplement the station’s student staff. The coupling of the station and the new course would provide a valuable learning tandem for to students interested in pursuing a career in radio. This story was provided by Mike Albright, director of communications at SUNY Orange.