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KRIS HARRIS
Special to The Leader
In Fredonia, students have the opportunity to explore their interests through the various clubs on campus. However, there is something special about the media groups on campus. They are the voice of the school and allow students to connect with their community.
Certain students understand this and have managed to create shows that have become staples in Fredonia. Two of the best examples of this are the late night WNYF-TV show “Fred Before Bed” and Fredonia Radio Systems’s (FRS) “The Local Lo-Down.” For both these productions, several of its members are graduating, leaving their shows to younger students, but never forgetting the memories they have made.
“Fred Before Bed” filmed its last show this past Wednesday, which was extended to two hours. At first, it ran its usual course by highlighting several current topics and featuring a performance by the all-female a cappella group, The Riveters. The show did, however, take the opportunity to reminisce.
The show will be losing four seniors this year: Alyssa Knowlton, Sarah Pietras and Christian Salvati whom are all video production majors, and creator and host Brendan Hoare who is a public relations major.
All of them had a chance to look back on the show, and a video reel was displayed showing the shenanigans that go on during the production of the show in the station. Originally broadcast at 8 p.m., but moved back to 10 p.m. due to the content, “Fred Before Bed” allows viewers to become involved by live-tweeting about the show, which made the show stand out. It has even managed to capture the attention of other students from St. Bonaventure University to Niagara University.
Midway through the show, the cast introduced the new host of “Fred Before Bed,” Noah Maciejewski. The sophomore audio/radio production major was surprised that he was considered for the show.
“I knew they would be looking for someone … but I thought they would pull up somebody who was working on the show. I didn’t think it would be an opportunity available to me,” he said.
He was contacted by Hoare, and after some back and forth, he was given the spot.
The show ended with an expressive speech by Hoare. The senior couldn’t help to get teary-eyed during his final broadcast.
“I never really felt like [I] had something I called my own, that was mine,” Hoare said. “Fred Before Bed gave me that. The best part of this was that I could share my one thing with some of the best people I have ever met in my life.”
“The ‘Local Lo-Down” is FRS’s show dedicated to finding and exposing the best bands in the local area, spearheaded by seniors Lexi Ziccardi, majoring in audio/radio production, and sculpture major Megan Lewandowski. The show has become a prized passion for the seniors, who are unhappy to let it go, having had opportunities to not only meet some talented artists, but also grow as people.
“It’s very sad,” said Ziccardi. “I never thought, going into college, that [The ‘Local Lo-Down’] would be something I would be a part of. I’ve been to shows growing up and kind of had a passion for local music.”
“When I [took] on the show, it’s all I focused on,” Ziccardi continued, noting that she gave up her former show, immersing herself into producing “Local Lo-Down” with Lewandowski.
A key element of the show is that two local artists play live on the show, planned weeks in advance. Sometimes there are hiccups, as there is a strong turnover in the music scene, but the show managed to run its course every week.
Ziccardi, who is FRS’s current general manager, will be working at Entercom Communications after graduation after having interned there last summer. Lewandowski, who was this year’s chief engineer, will continue working in sculpture.
The show will be taken over by junior music industry and audio/radio production major Aidan Licker, sophomore audio/radio production major Lexi Reyngoudt, and freshman music industry and audio/radio production dual major Cheyenne Bruyere.
Licker has been involved with the local music scene for several years and Reyngoudt and Bruyere wanted to get involved immediately after sitting in on a show.
Even though the seniors are moving on, they will have left legacies for future students to tune into possibly for years to come.