THE Transition Year students of Blackrock College in Dublin are currently giving RTE Radio 1, 2FM, 98 FM, East Coast Radio and other stations in the south Dublin area a run for their money.
Since the college was granted a "Special Event" licence by the IRTC to broadcast in the greater Blackrock area for five days starting yesterday, it has been a case of all hands on deck.
Over 150 Transition Year students have been involved in developing and producing the event. This is the fourth year the college has gone on the air. If you live on the southside of Dublin and tune in at 96.7 FM between 8 am to 6.30 p.m. any day you will be able to hear Blackrock College Radio's hectic selection of programmes.
The aim of the project is to raise money for charity and also to promote the work of the St Vincent de Paul Society in both Tallaght and the Dun Laoghaire borough. About £16,000 will be raised, largely through advertising paid for on the radio station.
The local business people take the station quite seriously, according to Alan MacGinty, dean of the Transition Year.
It will broadcast to a catchment area in excess of 200,000 people and it expects an on/off market penetration on 15 - 20 per cent. As the Transition Year publicity department kicks into action, it points out to business people that this is "an ideal opportunity for you to reach your customers at a vital time in the run-up to Christmas while supporting a very worthwhile cause."
"Learning as we go along, skills are being passed on," says teacher Donal Marren, who is director of programming at the station. "Students, he says, "learn how to source information, how to get different points of view on different issues, how to listen. They develop interview techniques and learn how to work in teams.
The students, who start by learning about editing and recording at the Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design, also have the comfort of knowing that there is an experienced management team (who give their time free) on hand for advice and direction should the need arise.
MacGinty says the benefits of the project are multi-dimensional. Students become more aware of their privileged position in society, he believes, and their appreciation of this increases. As part of the project, they compile a range of programmes to highlight the needs of the less fortunated in the community.
MacGinty says that there is a role for every Transition Year pupil - as in any commercial and professional broadcasting organisation, all aspects of the operation are covered with teams, for example, in advertising, technical, security, as well as production, presenting and reporting.
To broaden community involvement, Sion Hill, Mount Anville, Willow Park, Oatlands, CBC Monkstown, St Andrews, Rosemont and Muckross College are all invited to produce programmes for broadcast during the week. The publicity department will have distributed 1,000 copies of the station's schedule throughout the area.
