107.7 The Bronc’s award-winning season

By Olivia Nicoletti

Going from a radio station “unknown” by its own campus, 107.7 The Bronc has skyrocketed over the years, hitting records nationwide and winning numerous awards in John Mozes’ decade-plus tenure as general manager of the station.

Four members of the 107.7 The Bronc team won three awards from the National Electronic Media Association (NBS-AERho) on Nov. 5.

Tiffani Britton, a senior film and television major, received the Best Audio Promo award for her work on “Rider Student Top Chef: Flour Power.”

According to John Mozes, the general manager at 107.7 The Bronc, Britton came in during the summer of her freshman year wanting to get involved.

Mozes said, “She’s very creative, she’s not afraid to try anything and because of that, she’s been able to succeed and grow at the station every year.”

Ethan Duer, a business communication graduate student, and Dom ReRosa’21, won an award for Best Audio Sports Program for their work on the Lawrence High School Walk Off-Win.

Justin Riebman, a senior sports media major, is especially proud because when he got the position of sports director at The Bronc in the spring semester of 2021, Duer and ReRosa were his first hires.

“We initially just had them do high school baseball in the spring, but then the opportunity came up for the college’s Atlanta Collegiate Baseball League in the summer,” said Riebman. “It was no doubt to bring them back and have them do those games, and I’m very proud of both of them.”

The award for Best Audio Sports Program went to Daniel Harris, a senior sports media major, for his work on The Coaches Clipboard with Lynn Milligan.

Mozes expressed his gratitude for Harris and his twin Isaac Harris who came to Rider for their senior year after attending a plethora of colleges. The brothers never physically came into the radio station until a few weeks before graduation, according to Mozes.

“Because of the pandemic they were home, but I love how Daniel and his brother integrated themselves with our students; it was like they were there every day,” said Mozes. “[Daniel] wasn’t playing basketball, so he took his passions for basketball and did the broadcasts with Shawn Johnson for Rider women’s basketball. They would interview coach Milligan, which is the interview he won an award for.”

Mozes applauded the members of the team for their motivation, especially throughout the difficulties of this year.

“Being nominated two consecutive years shows the consistency that we’re putting out over the air on a regular basis day in and day out,” said Mozes.

During the obstacles of COVID-19, the members of the radio station continued working hard. According to Riebman, “During the worst of the pandemic, we did everything remotely and kept the station going.”

For news Director Thomas Franks and engineering Director Emily Katt, both are filled with pride for the team’s success this year.

On top of the individual awards, the station as a whole was nominated for the Marconi Award given by the National Association of Broadcasters this year and in 2020.

Katt said, “Not only did we get nominated for the Marconi Award for College Radio Station of The Year for two consecutive years, but the station also won NBS-AERho awards. All of us at 107.7 The Bronc work really hard, and it feels great to see our hard work and dedication pay off.”

Franks said, “I think what sets The Bronc apart from other college radio stations is that we have a good work ethic from top to bottom as well as strong leadership. Even our newer and younger staff learned the ropes from senior staff upon their departure so that we never skip a beat. We’ve been nominated for awards, including the Marconi, before and after moving to the new station. So it’s all about work ethic for us.”

Apart from the team members, the campus as a whole had been invested in the outcome of the Marconi Awards.

“It’s really cool to see how many people came to support on Wednesday. The provost was at the launch party, Leanna Fenneberg [vice president of student affairs] was there. It was just great to feel that people are acknowledging our hard work,” said Riebman. “I even said this going into Wednesday: win or lose, I’m just happy for everyone.”

The radio station did not receive the Marconi Award on Nov. 10, but according to Riebman, it just means a lot “that a small school like Rider is getting acknowledged”.

In the 13 years since Mozes began his job as general manager of the radio station, he is humbled to see the school pride 107.7 The Bronc has possessed through the years.

“The students who I initially worked with kind of planted the seed, and then I watched this tree grow, and all the branches that now have to develop in all the things that we do,” Mozes said. “All the engaged learning opportunities we give, all the things that they learn and then take with them into the real world.”

The staff at the radio station did not look at this as a defeat but were proud to be nominated in the first place; they continue to look forward to what comes next.

“We do what radio was meant to: we’re not gimmicky, we don’t try to do something crazy or outrageous, just to get people to tune in and want to listen. We try to get them to come tune in every day, or every week, or once a month, or whatever that might be, and get a good product so that they want to come back and listen to it over and over and over again,” Mozes said. “Keep listening and supporting us, and we promise to keep on delivering to the student body.”