Veronika brings international talk to Radio Sonar and Voice FM
Solent has been a partner of Voice FM from the station's very beginning. Each week Solent's Radio Sonar and Voice FM share the airwaves where our students broadcast their own radio shows. One of those students is Veronika Zapletalová, who is in the second year of her BA (Hons) Music Management course. As well as hosting her own radio show at Voice FM, Veronika is assistant station manager at Radio Sonar. We caught up with her to hear more about her radio show, and her experiences working for a radio station.
How did the opportunity arise to work on Voice FM?Â
During the last year I became a member of Radio Sonar, the student-run radio station at Solent. And because of the connection between Radio Sonar and Voice FM, I was offered the chance to broadcast my show Interstyle on Voice FM, as well as on Radio Sonar.
Tell us more about Interstyle
The show is literally in international style, so: Interstyle. Each week I invite international students to the studio and we talk about their home countries. On every show we discuss the top interesting places in their country, national cuisine, famous people, culture, traditions, some quirky stuff, and more. For example, did you know that in Romania they have 'magic tax'? If you want to make spells, you have to pay the government. Another part of the show is the tongue twister, where my guests try to teach me some of their tongue twisters and I try to teach them mine. It’s always so entertaining!
But of course, the most important thing is that we play the music from the countries.
To sum it up, every Thursday from 8-10pm you have a chance to learn something new, get some tips on where to go, and discover completely new music.
How do you prepare to host your weekly show?Â
I do wide research about the particular country I’m going to be talking about that week on the show. I also prepare some spare questions and topics, just in case we run out. Fortunately, that has never happened - I've discovered that people are always so keen to talk and share their culture, but you never know.
What skills and experience are you gaining from Voice FM?Â
I’m building my confidence and feeling more comfortable being on air. Interviewing different people each week has made me more skilled in leading a conversation and interviewing overall. Now, I'm able to come up with a follow-up question or topic within a second. And, in terms of technical skills, I learn something new every single week. Also, this opportunity widens my contact with people who are already working in the radio industry.
What advice would you give to students wanting to get into the broadcasting industry?
Don’t be scared to try anything - if you really want it, go for it. You never know where it's going to take you or what opportunities you will get out of it. I know that it sounds easier than it is. Before my very first show, I was really scared about everything: I’ve never used the desk, I’ve never spoken into a mic on-air ... I had no experience of appearing on the radio before I joined Radio Sonar. But, I tried it and now my show is broadcast on Voice FM!
