The latest 'Buzz' to hit the airwaves (and web) | Press Releases

On Friday, March 14 at 6 p.m., 'Buzz' will premiere on WVOF, 88.5 FM, and be streamed on the station's web site, www.WVOF.org . It will be like NPR in its fresh and dynamic approach to the news of the day, says creator Dennis Quinn, who is a teacher in the College of Arts and Sciences' New Media, Television, and Radio program.

The monthly radio show will originate from the Fairfield University campus, but the hour-long broadcast won't be limited to just covering campus events. It will be part news, music, sports and reality show.

Quinn and his Radio Production II students, are producing the program with The Media Center for WVOF. "It will be like NPR, but from a younger person's point of view. The potential for this is huge. A show like this has never been done before at Fairfield. It's called 'Buzz,' as in when something has good word of mouth, it's got good buzz, or did you hear the latest buzz on Obama?"

The target demographic of the show is ages 18 to 30, and the program will be geared to students, recent alumni as well as the community beyond the University. It will be re-run at various times during the week after its initial broadcast. Plans call for two more shows before the end of the spring semester, and it will resume broadcast in the fall. Students interested in getting involved are encouraged to e-mail the show at heybuzzus@gmail.com .

Quinn, who is also a longtime on-air radio personality on weekday mornings for CD 101.9 FM from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., brings to the project more than five decades of broadcasting experience. Segments for the show will include an exclusive interview with Fairfield University President Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J. 'Life Happens' will feature the personal stories of people who thought life was going one way only to find it moving another way. A University exchange student from Germany will offer his amusing take on America. The news segment will be infused with a youthful perspective on the stories of the day. '2041 Beachside,' a reality show, will offer a glimpse inside a local beach house and the undergraduates who live there. 'Buzz' also will include a substantial amount of music, including emerging local artists such as the Titles . An interview with Alternate Routes band members (and Fairfield alumni) Eric Donnelly and Tim Warren is also in the works.

Quinn explains, "In addition to artists performing, our music segment might have an educational aspect to it, such as artists explaining how to build a song. Our sports section won't be about box scores. For example, we'll have Professor Robert Ford talking about the physics behind why a curveball curves. Our approach on topics will be unique and refreshing."

'Buzz' will offer Fairfield students an opportunity for advanced hands-on radio production and broadcasting experience, as well as Web-casting experience. Students will also be taught the art of storytelling via the medium of radio by being asked to help produce the segments.

The project complements the goals of the New Media Film, Television and Radio program by providing students with opportunities to learn practical skills and to learn by doing. Many of the program's faculty members come from the ranks of working professionals, ensuring that students are learning about what is at the cutting edge of the field. Students are encouraged to experiment with their own creative voices, engaging their imagination and intellect with the tools of these crafts.