SAMUEL LEWANDOWSKI
Special to The Leader
SUNY Fredonia’s TV and radio stations will not be broadcasting for the remainder of the semester.
Senior journalism major and general manager of WNYF-TV Patrick Ryan said the decision was made in accordance with Governor Cuomo’s implementation of distance learning, as well as with CDC safety guidelines.
For similar reasons, senior political science major and general manager for Fredonia Radio Systems (FRS) Isabella Celeste said their organization has also suspended broadcasting.
“FRS’s executive board, our advisor Jessey Drake and myself all felt suspending broadcasting was the most appropriate step in keeping everyone safe,” said Celeste. “Also, the transition to online education, which sent home most of Fredonia’s students, had an impact on this decision — along with the severity of this pandemic.”
When Cuomo first announced that classes were going to be held online, Ryan said he and his executive board were unsure about how to move forward.
After an emergency meeting, he said the decision was made to close on-campus operations.
“Our club members were disappointed — and we all are,” said Ryan. “We have incredibly creative people working at WNYF, and they won’t be able to share their talent with our audience until we reopen.”
Celeste said FRS also initially struggled with figuring out how to move forward.
“We didn’t want to cancel everyone’s shows,” said Celeste. “Especially when it had to happen so abruptly.”
Still, Celeste said that given the severity of the circumstances, drastic steps needed to be taken — which involved the cancellation of all further shows and events.
“Obviously we were all disappointed, but everyone was understanding,” said Celeste.
Ryan said that as their group navigates through “uncharted territory,” communication has been especially important.
“Our e-board remains in touch and we have been contacting our general body with regular updates through FredMail,” said Ryan.
Celeste also said that she and her e-board are constantly communicating with each other and with their general body, and that much of this communication has concerned the group’s upcoming e-board elections.
Celeste said that planning these elections online has been challenging, but that she and the entire e-board are making it work.
“We had each person running write a ‘letter of intent’ in order to run for a position,” said Celeste. “We will then have each person send us a video of themselves giving a speech, after which we will have the eligible general body vote through a voting website/app.”
WNYF also has yet to hold its elections.
Ryan said that their election ballots will be counted on Google Forms, and that letters of intent, questions for the candidates and the candidates’ platforms will be shared through FredMail.
In terms of remaining events, Celeste said they are unable to have their annual, end of the year media banquet, which also involves WNYF and The Leader.
Additionally, Celeste said they had to cancel their yearly Radiothon — an event which she said gave the general body an opportunity to see how radio stations would run live 24/7 before computerized automation systems.
According to junior sound recording technology major and FRS chief engineer Jenna Rutowski, while shows have been canceled, the radio station continues to operate on automation.
Celeste said that one FRS e-board member goes to the station for a few hours each day to make sure everything is operating smoothly and that FCC regulations are being followed.
Meanwhile at WNYF, Ryan said video production major and programming director Carl Aldinger is uploading archival footage to their YouTube channel, and that their cable program is currently running a loop of promotional material.
“Hopefully by the time the next school year begins we will be able to return to a different type of normal,” said Celeste. “Our biggest event, ‘Rockin’ The Commons,’ has a lot of planning over the summer, and hopefully that won’t be affected too heavily — but we truly have no idea when things will be back to normal.”