Introduction

Delaware State’s Radio / Audio Production program attracts a lot of attention on campus, thanks to the prominence of student-run station WDSU, also known as “The Hive.” On the air since 1978, WDSU gives students an extensive hands-on education in broadcasting and audio production. This practical experience enables students to develop the technical, creative, and management skills necessary to establish a career in the radio industry.

The program includes two off-campus internships at professional radio stations, where students can establish professional contacts and acquire some workplace smarts. And in the classroom, they explore mass communications from a theoretical perspective — and learn how radio evolved into (and remains) a medium that can influence public opinions, tastes, and attitudes.

WDSU carries a full range of programming, including news, music, sports, and politics.

Professional Preparation

Radio/Audio Production majors develop a wide range of skills that translate directly to the workplace. These include

• broadcast writing
• sound production
• radio station operations
• news gathering and reporting
• media research techniques
• telecom management
• media law and ethics

With the rise of the Internet and online broadcasting, the radio industry is changing. Our program emphasizes the online convergence of mass communications, preparing students for the jobs of the future. Our graduates go on to careers in all aspects of the radio business, including technical production, on-air talent, and front office management.

Faculty

Delaware State’s mass communications instructors teach from experience. All have spent years in the communications industry and are able to convey both the theoretical and practical concepts that students need to build their careers. Our faculty includes radio veterans such as Andy Harris (the general manager of Dover ratings leader WDOV-AM) and longtime on-air host Ava Perrine. The mass communications faculty also includes documentary filmmakers, public relations professionals, online journalists, and veterans of the newspaper and television industries.

Research and Experience

Between their on-campus work at WDSU and their two off-campus internships, Delaware State graduates acquire hundreds of hours of direct experience behind the microphone and at the soundboard. In addition, our students can interact with professionals by getting involved in campus chapters of the Black Broadcasters Alliance, National Association of Black Journalists, and other organizations.

Some undergraduates from the Mass Communications department have participated in the McNair Program, winning research stipends and presenting their findings at national conferences. All Mass Communications students have the opportunity to present original research on campus every spring during Honors Day.