2008 Woodie Awards
Campus TV Show Features Local Bands
Gina Aloe
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: News
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Those were some of the perks of Jammin' TV Live on March 27.
Jammin' TV is a weekly 30-minute music show on WPU's campus television network, WPBN-TV. It showcases local bands' and artists' music and includes a personal sit-down interview between the musician/s and the hosts. The show features all different genres of music, from rap to rock.
The purpose is mainly to "expose local bands from around the tri-state area to an audience of all ages," says Nicole Parente, assistant producer and scriptwriter for the show.
Jammin' TV, in production since spring 2002, is taped every Thursday afternoon. The show usually airs on WPBN-Campus Channel 6/Cablevision 76 on Tuesdays evenings. However, once a month, there is a live one-hour taping of the show, which features a live audience. This takes place on Thursdays at 1 p.m. The next live show will be April 17.
How do they find local talent?
"I usually get talent from our MySpace page," says Renee Ohikuare, the music manager who books artists and bands for the weekly show.
Ohikuare says that some musicians who play on the show have such a great time that they tell other musicians they know, who will in turn contact her to be booked as a musical guest.
"Other times, it's students at WPU who are musicians or know of musicians who will be great for the show," she says.
One band from February's live taping, Stephanie White and the NJ Philth Harmonic, was recruited in an interesting way.
Robbie LaFalce, who started the band with Stephanie White, said Renee happened to find one of their cards on the bulletin board at a restaurant in West Orange.
"I went home and checked out her MySpace page and was blown away by her voice, so I immediately contacted her and told her she had to come on Jammin' for a live show," Ohikuare says.
LaFalce says they had a great time being on the show and it introduced their music to new fans.
"A few people from the audience contacted us on MySpace right away afterwards," he says. "It's been a great thing."
The band has been invited to come back to the show. They hope to do so, but also have big plans for their future including an acoustic tour in California.
Carly Roncaglio, the public relations coordinator and underwriting manager for the show, says that working for the show has been a great way to learn more about television production.
"Working with such a large staff under the guidance of Dr. Imafidon Olaye (the show's advisor) has been very helpful and has taught me the business end to a television production," says the communication major, whose concentration is public relations. "It's been a lot of fun."
Students from all majors are encouraged to participate in the show or just come to be part of the live audience. For more information, visit Jammin' TV's MySpace page (www.myspace.com/jammintv07), their Facebook group page or www.wpbn.org for updates on all of WPU's television shows.
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