Northwestern University Athletics
NU Student Broadcasters Called Into Pro Action
10/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 21, 2004
Chicago, IL. - In a cliché rich opening sentence, two Northwestern University student broadcasters got a taste of the big time when they were hired to replace the professional announcers in two Regional Transport Authority (RTA) radio commercials that will air on nine Chicago radio stations next week.
When a conflict arose with the two announcers who have recorded the commercials in the past Woody Mosgers, Marketing Administrator for the RTA turned to NU Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs, Chris Boyer for help.
"I wanted to keep the spot format intact", stated Mosgers. "The other guys are the commercial station game announcers and did the spot as if they were announcing a game, so I had to have some other game announcers and we got them from Northwestern", Mosgers said.
Daniel Platt 20, Sports Director of WNUR-FM 89.3 and a junior Arts and Science major along with his colleague Frank Tormey 21, a senior Journalism major were recruited by Boyer from the team of students who broadcast NU sports.
"Dan has shown a great willingness to develop and strengthen the relationship between the radio station and Northwestern Athletics," Boyer commented. "RTA offered us a unique idea and I knew that Dan would have the good sense and judgment to take advantage of the opportunity, it turned out win-win-win," he concluded.
Schedules presented a real problem, school had not yet started but the football team was already playing an away game (broadcast by Tormey) and the commercials had to be recorded on a deadline.
"I'm talking to one fellow on the east coast (Platt) and he's telling me that his partner won't return until 3 AM but they'll both be at the studio at 9 AM, I held my breath," Mosgers explained. "To their credit they showed up on time, followed direction and did the spots in two or three takes, not bad for college kids!", he smiled.
The second of the two commercials will air in the Chicago market 10/26 - 10/30. RTA radio commercials promote the use of the transit system and the RTA Travel Information telephone service, 836-7000 city or suburbs. The cooperative advertising arrangement promotes events/venues that are transit friendly in exchange for inclusion in print/program advertising, websites, etc. The RTA and NU football have been partners for six years.
