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| Prof. Ulysses Sison leads the tour of the UP Radio Studio. (Photo by Mary Claire Catado) |
After years of setback and delayed revival
the official radio broadcasting network of the University of the Philippines
(UP) Cebu is formally up and running on air.
DYUP 98.9 Radio Upgraded was launched last
August 22 and was attended by UP Cebu Dean Atty. Liza D. Corro, Mass
Communication Coordinator Prof. Belinda Espiritu, Arts and Humanities
(AH)Cluster Head Ms. Lilia Tio, AH faculty member Ms. Geneveva Bartolo, UP
Radio Adviser Prof. Ulysses Sison and
Mass Communication students.
Expressing her gratitude for the
realization of the UP Radio Espiritu said “The installation of a proper UP Cebu
Radio has been our long sought after goal and desire since the previous years.”
The official radio station of the
university dubbed as UPFM begain broadcasting during the 1996 intramural. But a
fire incident that set the transmitter ablaze halted the operations of the
radio station.
In 2011 efforts to revive the radio station
were done by the senior batch of Mass Communication students under Development
Communication 143 in the hopes to revive the radio station for broadcasting
during the 2011 intramurals.
However financial constraints hinder the
plans to sustain its airing beyond the intramurals with rental fees of
equipment at P 4,500 per day for four days was too much to maintain.
Seven years after the fire that halted the
operations of the official radio station of the university made an official
comeback last August 22.
Seeking to sustain the airing of UP Radio
at a rationalized cost, the Mass Communication program decided to purchase
equipment and the renovation of facility to bring back UP Radio on air.
According to UP Radio Adviser Ulysses Sison
it took a year for the project to be funded and realized. The budget for the UP
Radio is at 122,000 pesos with brand new equipments and speakers around the
campus.
UP Radio’s Station Manager Justine Balane explained the radio’s tagline,
Radio Upgraded suggesting that the station is an advanced version of
previous UP Cebu campus radio.
Second year MassComm students operate the official in-campus wired
radio station on schooldays. UP radio airs from 9 in the morning to 5 in the
afternoon with different genre based programs.
The second year batch were
divided into 29 programs conceptualizing their own content and programs. Each
student works three hours a week.
“I feel so lucky to be part of the new UP Radio, because as early as
now, we are able to experience pressure and probable problems that can help us
prepare for the real thing”, said Katrine Brille Camposano, one of UP Radio’s
disc jockeys.
According to Sison, UP Radio is the laboratory for radio speech,
performance and audio procedure. It will serve as a practicing ground for the
theories in Broadcasting.
Around the campus, students are enjoying listening to the programs
of UP Radio.
“It’s very awesome, it gives good vibes. It also makes me aware of
what is happening right now.” said first
year management student Patricia Alturas.
According to fourth year management student Edrian Belongilot
listening to the radio shows is a good way for students to relive stress.
There are plans for the installment of speakers that will air UP
Radio in kiosks and in the AS Lobby but Sison said financial capabilities are
still being processed on the matter.
