WONC Keeps Making Radio Waves

WONC-89.1 FM may be near the bottom of the radio dial, but with 20 Marconi College Radio Awards, North Central College's radio station is recognized as one of the best in the nation.

On Wednesday, John Madormo, Assistant Professor of Broadcast Communications and General Manger of WONC, got more good news. WONC was nominated for five 2010 Silver Dome Awards from the Illinois Broadcasters Association. Madormo and the nominated students will travel to Illinois State University on Oct. 8 to see who takes home the hardware.

Such success isn't new to WONC. In 2008, Paige Spangler was named the No. 1 Student DJ in the country at the national convention of the Collegiate Broadcasters, Inc. Spangler now works at WERV-95.9 FM in Aurora and Fresh-105.9 FM in Chicago.

"It's very difficult to walk out of a liberal arts college and work in one of the top three markets," Madormo said. "Chicago is where people usually end their careers."

Madormo credits WONC's success to the students who are attracted to the station. With its history of excellence and its location near Chicago, WONC recruits high school students with past radio experience.

Assistant station manager Steve Oliveri said the station also has maintained its strength because older students are genuinely involved and passionate about training the next generation of WONC DJs. Oliveri, a senior interactive media studies major, experienced this first hand from DJs such as Spangler.

WONC also provides its staff of 70 something most college stations can't. About half the staff members this fall are freshmen.

"At most college stations you have to wait until your junior or senior year to get on air," WONC station manager Lucas Mitzel said. "I got involved with stuff my first week on campus."

Beyond playing rock music from the classics to the cutting edge, WONC has a goal of aiding the Naperville community. The station hosts a local news program on Sunday mornings. WONC airs a number of local public service announcements and broadcasts area high school sports on Fridays. The station also transmits the Naperville Municipal Band and Grace United Methodist's church services.

"We want to entertain and inform," Madormo said. "We try to be a good neighbor."

WONC has DJs around the country, ranging from DeKalb to Philadelphia. One of the Naperville station's alumni even has his own show on MTV. Kevin Manno, formerly a Q101 on-air personality, will host The Seven, which premiers on Monday, Sept. 27.

Despite this success, Madormo said students have to be flexible when looking for jobs. Most recent graduates are not likely to find jobs in the Chicago market and have to be open to paying "their dues."

"If the job is there, I know WONC has prepared me," Oliveri said. "The skills we've learned here are the skills you need."