By Amanda Gowland
SPIRITlive is about to go live-to-air. Starting this Monday, Ryerson’s Internet broadcaster will launch its diverse lineup of programming, with over 40 DJs and 30 shows.
“It’s all fallen into place, much faster than I ever thought it would,” says Noah Zivitz, station manager/ music director and second-year Radio and Television Arts students.
What looked like a two-year project last spring, is now about to become a 24-hours-a-day, 7 day-a-week reality.
SPIRITlive — Student Produced Internet Radio and Interactive Technologies — is managed and produced by students and broadcast for students on the Internet, closed-circuit and campus television, on channel 85.
With 1,000 hits a month on the website, and a potential audience of 42,500 — based on the population of Ryerson, cable connections in residence, and the maximum stream capacity of the website — the station expects to make it.
Even though SPIRITlive has been broadcasting on the web since 1998, it didn’t garner much interest from the student population. Now, Ryerson can look forward to live broadcasting 60 hours a week
And if you want to listen to a couple of RTA’s showering together, hey, they’ve got that too.
When Stephen Orticello, first-year RTA student, of the Phil and Steve Show, saw SPIRITlive’s ads for show hosts last fall, he approached friend Phil Elder with a lucrative offer.
“At first, I thought Steve said, ‘Hey Phil, do you want to have a shower with me?’” laughs Phil Elder, a first-year RTA student. “And now it’s one of our show concepts.”
The Steve and Phil Show will also have music, promotions, fundraisers and special guests.
The SPIRITlive roster reflects the musical tastes of Ryerson’s diverse student body. Spinning underground hip-hop, Leo Shia, 18, and Nikko Detranquilli, 19, will showcase local talent on their show, Shades of Perspective.
Not only will SPIRITlive feature the up-and-coming sounds, but it’ll also resurrect the classics.
Second-year journalism students, Jules Franceschini and Amy Allison will host a yet-to-be-named retro show.
“We’re going to be playing acid jazz and retro, with a lot of inane chatter,” explains Franceschini.
Vanessa Neshevich, a first-year RTA student, and a co-host Daniella Costanzo opt for something vintage for their show, Psychedelic Playhouse.
“We’ll be playing a lot of 60’s psychedelic garage, some punk and a bit of funk,” says Neshevich. If you see two girls walking around campus, shouting through a megaphone, be sure to request your favourite George Clinton tune.
The executive body at SPIRITlive — station manager Noah Zivitz, program director Mike De Eyre, tech director Mark Trutnau, and web mistress Tanja-Tiziana Burdi — still have to install their state-of-the-art mixing board, train all 40djs, and get all their promotions off the ground with only days to go.
“We expect mistakes and screw-ups because we’re basically starting from scratch,” says De Eyre.
But the SPIRITlive crew is confident that the station’s revival will be a successful one.
SPIRITlive is still looking for volunteers, so drop by the studio. But be warned, you may be asked to grab a bar of Irish Springs and lather up with Steve and Phil.
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