The Minority Serving Institution Student Council (MSISC) has partnered with KUNV, 91.5 Jazz & More and the student lead 91.5 TheRebel-HD2, to help the voices of historically underrepresented students be heard. Ray Fletcher, a council member of the MSISC presented a proposal that was accepted to increase the number of diversity voices and programming heard over the airways. A portion of the proceeds from this partnership included new equipment that KUNV has received to help those voices be heard on campus and beyond. A new mobile broadcasting unit will be used for a variety of events the MSI task force, student council or the community of UNLV hosts to broadcast live on the radio. Such events may include Rush Week, Black History Month Celebrations, Commencement, Women’s History, on-site interviews and more. This shall occur when it is safe to hold in-person events again. New headsets and microphones have also been purchased to allow our students to continue to broadcast both live sporting events and as in-studio radio announcers.
Along with the equipment, several programming initiatives are part of this partnership. One of our student council members, Keren Jean Charles, is producing and hosting a new radio show/podcast called “You Goin’ Listen”, debuting spring 2021. This program is specifically designed to help give historically underrepresented students a platform to express themselves. Topics of the show include Black Lives Matter, LGBTQIA, Indigenous people, capitalism and other areas of diversity/inclusion. Marketing materials, show logo and social media graphics are currently being created in anticipation of the show launch. Along with this podcast, KUNV is putting together a radio show hosted by IMPACT’s Carrie Kauffman, which will discuss and dissect the issues that directly affect underrepresented populations. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the schedule of this show has been delayed, but we are looking forward to the positive discussions this program will bring. KUNV has also agreed to allow the MSI task force and student council to record and produce any diversity messages related to any events or programs the MSI student council deems necessary.
This partnership supports the mission of KUNV which is to Teach, Inspire and Connect. The support from the MSI Task Force Student Council has allowed KUNV to inspire students to have difficult and culturally related conversations. Allows the medium of radio to connect with events and communities where they are without the bounds of being physically located in the studio spaces. Through this partnership students of UNLV have the ability to learn what it takes to tell stories, share experiences and community diverse topics to diverse audiences.
Overall, radio is a medium that thrives on the diversity of radio content, programming and opinions. Through the support of the MSISC KUNV radio can continue to provide opportunities and support for an array of engagements on and off campus. As awareness of the MSISC grows, so too will the need to spread the message to a larger audience. We hope this is the beginning of a long lasting partnership between the council and KUNV radio.
