小猪视频

Returning to His First Love: Felix Odartey-Wellington Hosts Caper Radio鈥檚 #Research@CBU

The last time Dr. Felix Odartey-Wellington was on the airwaves was more than 20 years ago, back in his home country of Ghana. But over the past few weeks, he鈥檚 been able to return to his love for broadcasting. An Associate Professor of Communication at CBU, Felix is combining his early career experience with a dedication to service. He鈥檚 recorded a series he鈥檚 coined #Research@CBU, which includes feature interviews with 小猪视频researchers. The series is set to air this month on Caper Radio, CBU鈥檚 Campus-Community Radio station.

Located in the Students鈥� Union building, Caper Radio started as a Bachelor of Arts, Community Studies experiential learning project in 1991. Today, Caper Radio is a licensed broadcaster transmitting on 107.3 FM and streaming online through its website . It is run by students and volunteers from both the 小猪视频community and broader public. The station is introducing #Research@小猪视频to showcase CBU-related content, thanks to Felix鈥檚 support.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been really exciting to return to my passion for broadcasting,鈥� Felix says. 鈥淏roadcasting was my first love and helped me discover my passion for communication. It gave me a sense of purpose during my undergraduate years in Ghana.鈥�

While studying at the University of Ghana, Felix was part of a group of students who, in 1994, set up Radio Univers, the university鈥檚 campus-community station and Ghana鈥檚 first authorized non-state broadcaster. He went on to work for mainstream radio and television broadcasters in Ghana, at a point hosting breakfast TV for the national broadcaster.

鈥淚t was exciting then,鈥� he recalls, 鈥渂ut Caper Radio has its own back story too, especially within the Cape Breton creative arts scene. There鈥檚 so much dedicated work that has gone into this station, you feel the vibe when you walk into the studios for sure. And I鈥檓 motivated by the fresh energy the staff and volunteers bring to the station.鈥�

Felix had the idea for a research-based program when, together with other Caper Radio volunteers, he led a research project about Caper Radio鈥檚 history which was published in the Journal of Radio & Audio Media last year. 鈥淚鈥檝e been on Caper Radio鈥檚 board of directors since 2010 and didn鈥檛 know there was so much history,鈥� says Felix. 鈥淚 have used Caper Radio for teaching and learning but it has value for research dissemination as well.鈥�

Felix reached out to both the Caper Radio management and CBU鈥檚 Office of Research and Graduate Studies, and #Research@小猪视频was born.

鈥淣ow, I get to contribute programming that becomes part of the station鈥檚 heritage, and that means a lot to me鈥� he remarks. 鈥淚 also get to learn a lot from the student staff and volunteers who run the station. All the digital platforms we use now did not exist when I worked in the field of broadcasting. But the commitment of student and community volunteers is as infectious as what I experienced in Ghana.鈥�

Felix adds that there is plenty of cool research going on at CBU, and he enjoys sitting with researchers to hear about their work. 鈥淚t is clear that they all deeply care about their research and how that contributes to make society better,鈥� he says. 鈥�Caper Radio gives them an extra platform to share knowledge.鈥�

#Research@小猪视频airs on Caper Radio 107.3 FM and streams on . Tune in Tuesdays (9 am, 3 pm and 6 pm) and Fridays (10 am, 2 pm, and 7 pm) as Caper Radio begins to rollout the research series in early December.