WERS’ Live Music Friday Goes Back to the Drawing Board

Ever dream of having your name in lights?

Will a mural drawn in real time on a white board in North Carolina do? Yes? Excellent!

Over at WERS 88.9 FM, it’s Live Music Friday – the station’s biannual fundraiser. And while the COVID-19 pandemic means no musicians in the studio this particular Friday, WERS’ creative services coordinator, Nicole Bae ’20 will bring the “live” by adding donors’ names to a mural that will be shared over social media.  

“Since most of our listeners are at home right now, we figured a way to find support for our Live Music Friday campaign was to create something highly visual and shareable online, Bae said. “We wanted to do something lighthearted and fun, and show our appreciation for everyone who chooses to support the station, and by extension, public radio and awesome music!”

Most of what you’ll see today on Instagram (@wers889), Twitter (@wers889), and Facebook (WERS 88.9FM), courtesy of Sam Woolf ’21, will be photos of the mural as new donors’ names are added, said WERS Associate Director of Development Ashley Peterson. But a timelapse video shot by Bae and edited by Haley Mendoza ’21 will be shared midday. On Monday, you’ll see the final results.

The station’s been staying on air and practicing social distancing using a combination of at-home recordings, pre-recorded student pieces, and live on-air broadcasting from morning host George Knight and afternoon host Phil Jones ’18. Students haven’t been broadcasting from the Ansin Building since Emerson shifted to online classes last month.

“Students are the heart and soul of WERS, and we miss having them around in person, but we’re finding new ways to keep in touch,” Peterson said.

Bae, a Business of Creative Enterprises major, said she’s taking her talent live to help raise money to keep WERS’ lights on and music playing, but there’s much more to it than that.

“It gives opportunities for students like me to do cool projects like this one and have really great work experience in school,” she said.