Campus radio recruits new crew members

Like chicks wriggling out of cracked egg shells to life, some students as well as residents passionate about Broadcasting in Niger State, have pulled through a rigorous audition exercise to emerge as new volunteers at the campus radio of the Federal University of Technology Minna, Search FM 92.3

Search FM which prides itself as one of the leading campus radio Stations in the country conducts audition biennially to absorb new volunteers to replace those who leave the school on completing their various programmes at the University.

The exercise, which started in 2015, has over the years provided a platform for participants with inherent radio talents to discover themselves. It has thus continued to be increasingly attractive to volunteers within and outside the University

The 5th edition of the week-long exercise got underway on the 7th of July, 2018 at the main campus of the institution in Gidan Kwano with pre-audition screening for prospective volunteers seeking to fill the positions of programme creators, reporters and news editors. The pre-audition screening which sought to reduce the number of applicants ahead of the main audition in order to ensure a thorough assessment of applicants continued on Monday, the 9th of July through Tuesday the 10th of July with a focus on identifying potential newscasters, analysts, presenters, disc jockeys, researchers, studio technicians, sound producers and web designers.

After the pre-audition screening, it was time for the main audition which was presided over by Tyeng Gang (Urban FM, Lagos) Mazino Appeal (Smooth FM & Ebony Life TV, Lagos) as well as Georgina Ndukwe, Laviva Roberts and Wale Ojo of Rhythm FM, Abuja

The Judges drilled 366 applicants, who scaled through pre-screening on delivery, spontaneity, current affairs, composure, grammar and original ideas among other qualities, from Wednesday, the 11th to Friday the 13th of July, 2018.

At the end of the auditions, a total of 125 successful applicants were vetted and approved by the main judges to be part of the volunteer crew of Search FM

The Audition week came to a climax over the weekend with a dinner hosted by the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Minna, Abdullahi Bala, in honour of the successful volunteers

In his speech, the Vice-Chancellor congratulated the new crew members and urged them to use the opportunity they have been provided with to train themselves in acquiring the requisite skills that would benefit them upon graduation

He also charged them to continue to be good ambassadors of the institution by upholding the standards that have been set by the Campus Radio since inception. Professor Bala pledged his continuous support for the campus radio station and urged the station manager not to hesitate in approaching his office whenever the need arises.

The highlight of the dinner was the presentation of certificates and awards to graduating crew members and volunteers from the last auditions in 2016 who were adjudged the best in their various departments.