Broadcasting students host 12-hour radiothon to support Nourishing Minds Fund
Broadcasting students are ready to face the heat to help battle student hunger at CRNC The Heat’s annual Rock Around the Clock radiothon.
Hosted by a group of third-year students from the Broadcasting – Radio, Television and film program, Rock Around the Clock 2021 will be livestreamed on the College radio station CRNC The Heat Facebook page @CRNCTHEHEAT on December 10, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The 12-hour radiothon is not only an opportunity for students to gain experience in radio but to raise funds for a charity of their choice before the holidays. This year, all proceeds raised from the event will be donated to NCSAC’s Nourishing Minds Fund, to help battle food insecurity on campus.
“We’re proud of the work that the students take on in order to help Nourishing Minds at this time of the year,” said Broadcasting Professor Bruce Gilbert. “Radiothons and online fundraisers are still a big part of how the radio industry gives back too, so this event really puts curriculum into practice.”
In addition to interviews with bands such as Texas King and MONOWHALES, students are planning a CRNC Spice Gauntlet. The student station director who has the most funds donated for Nourishing Minds in his or her name will have to face the heat and eat the spiciest food they can think of.
CRNC Program Director Keith Watts, who is in his third year of the Broadcasting program, hopes that the event will show how the College radio station is able to bring people together to help support students during difficult times.
“It’s important to help out this year, more than ever. Times are tough and food banks are seeing increased use everywhere – Niagara College included,” he said. “College students have a hard enough time as it is when it comes to money and food security, and the pandemic just made things worse.”
Five third-year Broadcasting students comprise the core team from CRNC The Heat who will be working from home to livestream Rock Around the Clock via Zoom, and some second-year students may assist. While the event was traditionally broadcast live from the Welland Campus, the students decided to continue the online format for the event, which debuted in 2020 following the onset of the pandemic.
“We do have access to the studio but we found that engagement was higher last year than in recent years so we decided to repeat what happened for our 2020 event,” said Watts.
In addition to supporting a worthy cause, students like Watts value the experience they gain by hosting Rock Around the Clock.
“Hosting this livestream will give me more on-camera and on-air experience. It will definitely offer an opportunity to ad-lib where needed, which helps especially if I’m going into the news industry,” said Watts. “The fact that the event is running kind of like a talk show will help with a ‘real world’ TV feel, too.”
How to support Rock Around the Clock on December 20
- Tune into the livestream on CRNC The Heat Facebook page @CRNCTHEHEAT anytime on Dec. 10 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Donate to Nourishing Minds at yourncsac.ca/nourishingminds.
- Send proof of donation to CRNC The Heat Facebook @CRNCTHEHEAT via messaging or email [email protected].
- Include in the email /message to CRNC whose name the donation was made in (select among Broadcasting students: Keith (Watts), ‘Hobbs’ (Alex Hobson), ‘Nevs’ (Brayden Neville), Huntyr(Andrews) or ‘Birdman’ (Sean Conn..The student who raises the most funds ‘wins’ the CRNC Spice Gauntlet.
- Get involved and start conversations with the CRNC in the comments section of CRNC The Heat Facebook page @CRNCTHEHEAT.
For more details about Rock Around the Clock, visit CRNC The Heat Facebook @CRNCTHEHEAT.
