By Christina Magnusson
When Flagler College students are too ashamed to buy another tabloid to get the latest celebrity scandals, all they have to do is tune in to Nikki Leonardo’s Weekly Wrap-up on WFCF 88.5 FM.
They can listen to all the gossip, from how many times Britney Spears has been in and out of rehab to which celebrity couple is currently dating during Leonardo’s five-minute segment. The Weekly Wrap-up airs three times a week on WFCF on Wednesday at 7:30 a.m., Friday at 9:30 a.m. and on Saturday at 9:30 p.m.
“I did not have a show and I wanted one,” Leonardo, a junior and Communication major, said. “Dan McCook did not have any spots so he asked me what I wanted to do, and I said entertainment news.”
McCook is the Station Manager at WFCF. He stresses an emphasis on getting a product such as Leonardo’s Weekly Wrap-Up to a consumer. “The subject matter is a material,” said McCook.
“Nikki has a great personality for something like this, she is very energetic and positive,” communication professor Nadia Ramoutar said. “The blurring of the lines between news and entertainment is a concern with a lot of news professionals, so it’s kind of a gray area. I think that it’s a great experience for her because she knows the difference.”
McCook also compliments the production staff at the radio station on “doing a fine job in cranking out product for our listeners.” He said that the inherent educational experience for the student is in the writing and production of the show.
Flagler student David Fleming is the production director at WFCF. His primary responsibilities are recording, editing and making sure shows get on and off the air with all the information. He said that Leonardo’s show has a lot of time-related information and that he makes sure it is on and off the air at the right time, as well as gets recorded.
“I think that the Weekly Wrap-Up is good for Flagler because it’s different,” Leonardo said. The Communication department does not have a curriculum geared toward entertainment news.
“A lot of students are interested in entertainment and it’s important that they get experience in what they are interested in,” Ramoutar said. “It’s just not news. It’s important that people know the difference.”
“So personally I get worried sometimes that we have lost sight of what really matters in society,” Ramoutar said. “It’s going to be interesting to see what happens in the future: whether the American people get tired of these celebrities or stay obsessed.”
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