By Keisha A. Mitchell
School/s: Spelman, Morehouse, Hampton University
Classification: varied/undergrad
What happens when you mix radio, media savyiness, college students, and fresh coverage of pop culture? You get YARD Radio.
Launched at Hampton University in 2004, the YARD is not your average radio show. With representation on 4 campuses (the collective universities of the AUC and Hampton University), and a growing fan base, listeners tune in faithfully every week to get their dose of “pop culture for college students” and the team that makes up the YARD works relentlessly to never disappoint. However, co-host Lauren Morton of Prince Georges County, Maryland and Producer Tyler Mccullers of Rosette, New Jersey want everyone to know that the YARD “is not solely, a radio show”.
“ …What separates us from most radio shows ….to me when you think of a radio show you think of people sitting in a studio broadcasting for an hour or so, but the YARD’s so much more than that.” Says Lauren “We’re a family, we’re a brand.”
The show, which covers everything from your usual pop culture commentary to national news, to more pertinent information centered around the collegiate community, doesn’t stick to your average urban broadcast format either. Rather, in true media platform fashion, they bring their coverage to their audience, and nowhere have they been more successful in doing so than with their popular “Green carpet” coverage. As Tyler explains:
“[The] Green Carpet is a welcoming committee for events on and off campus. We try to help upgrade the status of an event…make it a little more interactive and fun.”
The “Green Carpet”, which has boasted the appearances of everyone from Keri Hilson
and Farnsworth Bentley, to Morehouse President Robert Michael Franklin Jr., has
become an undeniable trademark and testament to the shows’ expansiveness. According
to YARD participants however, this expansiveness isn’t always recognized or
appreciated:
“Our pioneers’ goal wasn’t just to stay at Hampton” Lauren says. “It’s very important for
us to get around to PWIs (predominately white institutions)…” Tyler concurs: “[The]
Yard is not just a black radio show… We try to open ourselves to everybody. We try to make it a platform for college students and everybody to
use …the next school we’ll jump to is a PWI.”
So outside of diversifying their listening audience, what else does the YARD Radio Show have planned next? Quite simply, a lot.
“[We have] television shows in the works, homecoming, fashion shows, launch parties…If you hear about it, the YARD will be there. Simple.” Says Lauren.
“I wanna be on a college campus in the Netherlands” Tyler Mcculler says of the shows progression in the next five years, but more immediately he says there’s a “whole bunch of new stuff planned for this upcoming year.” Including more of a presence on the show from other campus influentials
“I definitely want to get a lot more campus figure heads on the show this year. SGA Presidents and let them talk about what they plan to do.”
When asked for advice on how to run Atlanta on a budget, the YARD had some notable suggestions.
Tyler starts: “If you’re broke but if you do have a car, Fellinis’ is definitely where you need to be at.” On being a student in the city Lauren adds: “We’re not located in some backwoods, in some random part of the city. We can hop on a train and go almost anywhere we want. Concerts, dance performances, arts performances, [the city] has so much to offer.”
And After you had your fill of the city, be sure to check out the YARD Radio show during their live broadcasts on Thursdays at 9:00 form WSTU station 98.1, or from their podcasts. To find out how to get down with the YARD be sure to friend them on Facebook, screen name: The YARD Radio Show, or check out their website at the www.yard radio.com
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