Nardone helps drive Seton Hall radio to success

Jan. 28—Seton Hall University's student-run radio station, WSOU 89.5 FM, has been honored by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) with a Marconi Award, and the station's Program Director is Joey Nardone, grandson of legendary local music icon Joe Nardone Sr.

WSOU-FM, Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J., received the Marconi Award as the College Radio Station of the Year.

This is the second Marconi for WSOU, having won the Marconi Award for "Non-Commercial Radio Station of the Year" in 2016.

Referred to as the "Academy Awards of Radio," NAB's Marconi Awards honor excellence in the industry. The winners are chosen through a two-tiered process: a committee of broadcasters selects the finalists, and then the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Selection Academy votes on the winners. An independent firm is responsible for tabulating the votes.

Nardone, 23, lives in Dallas and he is a senior majoring in visual and sound media with a concentration in television production. He will graduate in May. He is the son of Joe Jr. and Wynn Nardone of Dallas, and grandson of Joe Sr. and Irene Nardone of Shavertown. Joey has one brother, Andrew.

At the radio station, Nardone said he is in his second year as the Program Director where he oversees everything that goes on the air, as well as managing around 40 DJs.

"As program director, I also look at what holidays or shows are coming up in the area and highlight bands," Nardone said. "Like during Christmas we play Christmas songs twice an hour, or during Black History Month we will be highlighting Black artists. That is part of the job I really enjoy, and it helps keep the music library fresh."

Nardone said winning the Marconi Award validates the work everyone at WSOU has put in over the past year.

"That stands out to me because that is not something you always get," Nardone said. "You can work hard and feel good about your work, but it is nice for someone on the outside to look in and say you are the best college radio station in the country. It is special for me because in the time-frame of when we were being judged, I had trained and taught almost every single DJ that was on-air."

Nardone said he is "just a small part" in this larger story though.

"At WSOU, students get to come in and stand on the shoulders of giants," Nardone said. "I learned from the students before me, who learned from the students before them, and hopefully I will have some good knowledge I can pass down too. We are lucky to be able to broadcast into New York City and have an expansive alumni network that really cares about WSOU. I am just one of nine student managers at the station and we all have important roles that all led to us winning this award."

According to a story on the Seton Hall University website, WSOU has been recognized with more than 70 industry awards, including a Peabody Award, and was named a "Top 5 Radio Station" in the country by Rolling Stone magazine.

In 2018, the station was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, and the Garden State Journalist Association's 72nd Annual memorial Journalism Awards recognized five students from the ranks of WSOU.

The story goes on to state that this year's recognition is especially fitting because the station is also celebrating its 75th anniversary of operation. Bryan Crable, Ph.D., founding dean of the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media (CHDCM), said, "I couldn't be more proud of our amazingly talented students, staff and faculty at WSOU 89.5 FM. To have Seton Hall recognized as the home of the college radio station of the year is an honor, and it again testifies to the hard work and dedication of the great minds — and voices — of our students in the College."

Launched in 1948, WSOU provides a hands-on learning ground for future broadcasters, with a close-knit family of more than 100 student broadcasters representing diverse backgrounds and cultures who share a love of radio.

Generations of WSOU alumni have called the station home, including Bob Ley, Christina Lang, Glenn Schuck, Bob Picozzi, Joe Noland, Pete Tauriello and Kim Mulligan, among many others.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.