Radio Commons^™

Bill Brand Interview By Alex Morris, April 6, 2026, Bill Brand, Alexander Morris

HIST 4798/5798: Recording Memory: Methods and Uses of Oral History

In this 2026 interview, Bill Brand, a former corporate executive and, since 2023, a trustee on the Ohio University Foundation Board, discusses his lifelong connections to Ohio University (OU) and Athens, Ohio. An OU alum, Brand earned a Bachelor of Science from the Scripps College of Communication in 1987. He discusses what about OU—from when he first visited in the early 80s up until now—has continued to entice him into involvement with the university. In particular, he touches on the strong sense of community within both the university and Athens as a whole, which he asserts serves as a safe …

The Sensationalizing Of Presidential Assassinations In Mass Media Throughout American History, Lindsay E. Smith

Undergraduate Theses

This project explores how mass media has shaped the public response to presidential assassinations across American history. By examining the deaths of Abraham Lincoln (1865), James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901), and John F. Kennedy (1963), we can trace how evolving media technologies – such as newspapers, yellow journalism, radio broadcasts, and live television coverage – have sensationalized violence, politicized tragedy, and transformed periods of national mourning into mass spectacles. The thesis analyzes reporting methods, narrative framing, and the news industry to show how each has influenced emotional response, political landscapes, and eventual presidential legacy. Ultimately, we find that …

Clyde On A Cloud: Black Mass-Media Activism In 1950s Orlando, Nathan M. Pelz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Clyde Sanders is fondly remembered by those who were fortunate enough to tune their radio dial to WLOF during the 1950s or WOKB in the ‘60s. His show played the coolest tunes for teenagers who, for the first time, could carry with them music in their pockets. Sanders served as more than a radio DJ, however. Being Black in Orlando in the midcentury was complex and often dangerous. Careful not to explicitly engage with topics of civil rights, Sanders quietly advocated toward racial justice, helped to coordinate meetings, and advance racial harmony with his show which, though intended for Black …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Ruthless: The Revolution Of Gangsta Rap, Laci D. Lavoy

Theses

The popularization of gangsta rap in the United States was pivotal to the advancement of Black America following the close of the Civil Rights Movement. The ruthlessness of gangsta rap created a distaste of authority that became a catalyst for Black American unity and change. Artists quickly started writing songs that spoke out against issues plaguing Black and poor Americans, realizing the power of the microphone and the radio. These rappers created an awareness for White audiences that had not been present before and even created a space for White artists with shared experiences. Female rappers took this activism a …

Dreaming, Building, And Enduring Black Voices: Black Media In Omaha In The Post-Civil Rights Era, Elodie C. Galeazzi-Kelly

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation examines the purposes and roles of Black media in Omaha during the post–Civil Rights Era. It asks how African Americans and their allies in Omaha developed innovative media forms, institutions, and communication strategies to amplify Black voices, build community, and advocate for Black interests amid the rapidly shifting political and social landscape of the time. The study focuses first on three traditional forms of media (newspapers, radio, and television) and then broadens the definition of media to include key Black cultural institutions. These include a dramatic arts collective, a historical museum and archive, a memorial foundation, and an …

The Podcast Election: How Podcasts Helped Decide The United States Presidential Election Of 2024 In An Unprecedented Way, Logan T. Boyd

Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to showcase the interesting, yet inevitable effect that the medium of podcasting had on the 2024 United States Presidential Election Cycle. Throughout the history of the U.S. voters have looked towards the ever growing frontier of technology to shorten the gap between them, and their candidate of choice. From Franklin D. Roosevelt and the radio, to Barack Obama and the internet, the impact these leaps in communication have had on presidential elections are undeniable. Between the two candidacies of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, it was Trump who made full use of the medium …

Workable Seams, Jackson Mills Smith

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In Jackson Mills Smith’s Workable Seams, readers encounter the stories, landscapes, and lives of rural Knox County, Indiana, from the oscillating vantage of a Hoosier boy raised with a Cajun sensibility. After relocating from Louisiana to the river bottoms of the crossroad state at a young age, the speaker gradually uncovers a local history only previously understood in fragmentary shards and fading glimpses.

Alternating between semi-lyrical embodied experiences and memories, documentary pieces in conversation with the state’s historical archive, and the retelling of exaggerated local yarns, poetry is a means of inquiry in Workable Seams. Topics range from …

The Cut Worm Forgives The Plow, August Neuscheler

Theses and Dissertations

The explorations in this thesis writing are centered on William Blake’s proverb “The cut worm forgives the plow.” It has been reinterpreted as an allegory of history and energy. A theory of their relation is proposed based on forgiveness, a theory that accepts the palimpsest of orders as evidence for the abundance of the present moment. The writing focuses on questions of proportionality, scale, archaeological screening methods, planar cutting, and a critique of entropy as grounds for this theory. Some of its subjects include the Statue of Liberty, Kate Raworth’s donut economic model, sashimi, triangulation, Joseph Beuys’ “7,000 Eichen,” semiconductors, …

Black Radio’S Contribution To Collective And Cultural Memory: Personnel Perspectives Of Black Radio History In The United States, Kim Fox

Faculty Journal Articles

This interdisciplinary research investigates the significance of the community connection between Black radio personnel and their audiences through the lens of collective and cultural memory narratives. The study addresses two key research questions. First, how do Black radio personnel’s collective and cultural memories contribute to the Black public sphere? Second, what are the defining characteristics in developing parasocial relationships and interactions between Black radio personalities and their audiences? The qualitative research employs an autoethnographic methodology and a questionnaire, utilizing insights gained from the author’s experiences working at a Black-owned radio network and station. The questionnaire, distributed to key informants in …

Radio At Saint John's University: Antennas To Long-Playing Legacies, Bonnie Finn

Libraries Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

El Nacimiento Del Rock En Español: ¿Cómo Fue Que Este Género De Música Latina Tuvo Éxito?, Alejandro V. Martinez

World Languages and Cultures

This paper titled El nacimiento del rock en español: ¿Cómo fue que este género de música latina tuvo éxito? will cover information regarding the Spanish rock movement. This essay compares what is written in this paper to that of prior scholars to show that although they do bring valid points, there is a lot more than many of us realize. There are various articles and reports written about the movement, but many do not explain the creation of the movement, let alone its survival in the music industry as a new genre that some had never heard of or had …

Guide To "The Music Of Black America" Radio Script Collection, Columbia College Chicago

CBMR Collection Guides / Finding Aids

The collection contains scripts from “The Music of Black America,” a radio show written and produced in Los Angeles in 1982, hosted by J.J. Johnson (a Los Angeles radio personality) and Grammy Award winning singer Lou Rawls. The program featured a mix of contemporary and historical music, along with interviews. The donor, Albert D. Cunningham, was the show’s principal writer and producer.

Humanizing History: Applying Media Storytelling To Lived Experiences, Benjamin Goeser

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This creative project explores the tendency of individuals to avoid or alter deemed unfavorable, unflattering, or simply humiliating traits or actions in their written and spoken personal stories. Such choices come from fear and pressure to present oneself in a more perfected state for others to “like” rather than a human state for audiences to relate to and learn from. Through a series of written personal accounts to air on UNO’s college radio station and website MavRadio.FM, the project brings attention to habits of human nature more likely to remain unspoken. The goal is to encourage the sharing of …

Toporadio: Mapping Research On Spanish-Languageradio In The United States, Eric Silberberg

Publications and Research

This article analyzes the construction of TopoRadio (toporadio.org), an interactive map that showcases publications and archives about Spanish-language radio in the U.S. The map aims to promote a more inclusive and comprehensive representation of U.S. radio history by improving the visibility of contributions from Latinx broadcasters. The article addresses how map-making historically suppressed Spanish-language radio programs and proposes using critical cartography as a framework for mapping back this history. The technical elements of TopoRadio, including publication selection criteria, metadata design, geocoding process, and the appraisal of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, are described to provide scholars with a reproducible method …

Sounds Of The Reich: Nazi Party Radio And Speeches, Katelyn Hanners

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Radio broadcasts and speeches were key aspects of Nazi regime propaganda. From March 1927 to when the Nazi party won power in March 1933, Hitler made 455 public appearances, reaching close to 4.5 million people. Radio was the leading medium during the Great Depression and during all of WWII. Nazi propaganda focused on the effectiveness of the message, not the means through which it was relayed. Nazis liked simplistic and straightforward ideas with no underlying interpretations. Studies have shown that campaigns do not change the opinions of the masses. Rather, they confirm what the people already believe. In the case …

Tearing Down The Wall: An Analysis Of Pink Floyd’S 1979 Rock Opera, Darla Testino

Backstage Pass

No abstract provided.

Dixieland Crusaders: Mass Media, The Ku Klux Klan, And The Optics Of Populism, 1970-1979., Olivia E. Raymond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The 1970s in the United States of America ushered in transformative policies that reshaped the nation. In her landmark essay, “The Long Civil Rights Movement and the Political Uses of the Past” (2005), Dr. Jacquelyn Dowd Hall reveals how Black activists inspired “a long movement of movements.” However, often forgotten in narratives of new activism from this era is the resurgence of white reactionary social movements. This thesis argues that mass media is central to mainstreaming radical far-right ideology to a national audience. It explores the political ramifications of sensationalist coverage of the Ku Klux Klan in mass media, specifically …

The Native American Occupation Of Alcatraz Island: Radio And Rhetoric, Megan Engle

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

In order to draw attention to the numerous social and economic plights facing indigenous populations, a group of Native American protesters occupied Alcatraz Island from November 1969 to June 1971. Throughout the nineteen months of occupation, protesters received much attention from the media. While in theory this coverage may have been beneficial, the media presented the story in a largely negative and inaccurate light. Upon review of the literature, it becomes evident that the media used racist and poor journalistic practices to diminish the protest. To counter this biased view, the occupiers released their own news via radio. A comparative …

Immigration, Small Business And Assimilation: Three Stories Of Small-Time Capitalism On The Lower East Side, Marcus Hillman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Small businesses in New York City have often been a catalyst to assimilation for individual immigrants, their families and their communities. For this capstone project, I have recorded conversations with three small-time entrepreneurs on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and created a narrative audio piece that explores some of the important and study-worthy characteristics of New York City including economic opportunities in the city, immigration, assimilation and the ways that New Yorkers share space, just to name a few. These themes are threads that ran through all three of the conversations that I had and are crucial elements of …

Gender, Politics, Market Segmentation, And Taste: Adult Contemporary Radio At The End Of The Twentieth Century, Saesha Senger

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This dissertation explores issues of gender politics, market segmentation, and taste through an examination of the contributions of several artists who have achieved Adult Contemporary (AC) chart success. The scope of the project is limited to a period when many artists who figured prominently in both the broader mainstream of American popular music and the more specific Adult Contemporary category were most commercially viable: from the mid-1980s through the 1990s. My contention is that, as gender politics and gendered social norms continued to change in the United States at this time, Adult Contemporary – the chart, the format, and the …

Veterans Find Solace, Common Ground On The Open Road, David Berry

Veterans' Voices on WYSO

Recent scientific studies show there are significant mental and physical health benefits to motorcycling. But many military veterans already know the riding motorcycles is good therapy. Today, our Veterans’ Voices series concludes with Army veteran and Wright State student David Berry of Springfield and Marine Corp veteran Steve Ratcliffe of Dayton, who share a love for the open road.

Building A Family In A Dual-Military Marriage, Loghan Young

Veterans' Voices on WYSO

When most people think of a military marriage, they imagine only one spouse in the service. But dual-military marriages, where both spouses are service members, are becoming more common in every branch of the military. Today, our Veterans’ Voices series continues with Army veterans and Wright State students Loghan and Joe Young of Huber Heights. The Youngs built their marriage on the unique experiences they shared in the armed forces.

A Veteran Reflects On Honor, Inclusion In The Era Of Don't Ask Don't Tell, Jeremy L. Tkach

Veterans' Voices on WYSO

In the Air Force, there’s no higher enlisted level than what’s called E-9, and those who achieve E-9 are honored with their loved ones at a lavish ceremony. But for many LGBTQ service members and their partners, the military has not been inclusive.

Air Force Veterans Compare Race Relations In And Out Of The Military, David Morse

Veterans' Voices on WYSO

At its best, the military is a model of good race relations, since successful missions require trust and respect among service members. Our Veterans’ Voices series continues with Air Force veteran and Wright State University student David Morse of Riverside and Air Force veteran Mia Walthers of Huber Heights, who both saw less prejudice in the military than they did as civilians.

'Battle Buddies' Provide Support, Comradery During And After Deployment, Matt Bauer

Veterans' Voices on WYSO

Our Veterans’ Voices series continues with Air Force veterans Matt Bauer of Vandalia and Jeff McCannon of Columbus. Matt and Jeff are battle buddies. They’ve been deployed three times and it’s their shared experiences and memories – both good and bad - while on those multiple tours of service that bonds them today.

American And Russian-Born Veterans Share Similarities, Differences In Military Experience, David Berry

Veterans' Voices on WYSO

The American military is very diverse, and it’s where many men and women first learn how to build relationships with people from different cultures. Army veteran and Wright State University student David Berry of Springfield was raised in America and Navy veteran Pyotr Dobrotvorsky of Yellow Springs was raised in Russia.

Guide To The Clyde Caswell Collection, College Archives & Special Collections

Collection Guides / Finding Aids

This guide describes the organization and scope of the Clyde Caswell collection, housed within the College Archives & Special Collections at Columbia College Chicago. Clyde Caswell (1909-1958) was a radio pioneer in the 1940s and 1950s whose on-air name was Jim Christie. He also served as the head of the Columbia College Radio Department and later, as Dean of Students at the College.

Sonic Intolerance : Aural Yellowface During The Golden Age Of American Radio., Greyson Perry Neff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The position of the Asian in the American popular imagination has a long history, stretching back to nineteenth century vaudeville theatrical performances and remaining largely unchanged throughout the twentieth and into the twenty-first century. Portrayed as simultaneously cunning and ignorant, spiritual and corrupt, or submissive and sexualized, Oriental stereotypes have remained firmly entrenched in popular culture. While perceptions of race exist largely in a visual sense, a closer look at how people heard racial differences opens up new avenues for scholarly interpretation of the social construction of race and the shifting notions of citizenship. This thesis will investigate how listeners …

Veterans Gain Clarity, Control Over Ptsd Through Adventure Sport, Jeremy Dobbins, Will Davis

Veterans' Voices on WYSO

The Veterans’ Voices series concludes with a conversation about the therapeutic benefits of adventure sports. Marines Corp veteran and Wright State student Jeremy Dobbins of Springfield spoke to fellow Marines Corp veteran C. Michael Fairman about coping with PTSD, and climbing the world's tallest mountain.