I can’t imagine a better way to kickstart Wednesday mornings than to the sweet sound of radio voices DJane and DJ Raegs, hosts of the University of Massachusetts Amherst WMUA’s “The Rundown.”
WMUA is the “radio voice of UMass Amherst,” broadcasting from the Scott J. Bacherman Broadcasting Center. A student-run organization, the radio station is managed by undergraduates at the university. Twice each semester, WMUA offers five-week DJ training sessions for those interested in becoming an on-air personality. After passing the course in the fall, DJs Raegan Redmond and Jane Edison are hosting their own show, “The Rundown” during the Spring 2023 semester. Here’s everything you need to know about their WMUA radio show!
Where and When can you listen to the show?
First airing on Feb. 8, 2023, the show airs every Wednesday morning from 6:00-8:00 a.m. ET. Listeners can tune in to “The Rundown” on 91.1 FM or from the WMUA website through Fastcast here!
What do the hosts talk about? What is the show’s theme? What kind of music is played?
The beautiful thing about WMUA’s “The Rundown” is that there is no strict repetitive topic for every week. Instead, the hosts focus on storytelling. Each week a new and exciting theme is chosen to guide both the topic of conversation as well as the music that is played. This typically involves the hosts telling stories of their personal experiences, and giving hot takes on varying things. Through quick-witted banter, the hosts reminisce over happy, sad, and embarrassing memories. The two DJs share lessons and advice, each telling two stories they feel fit with that week’s theme. They tell high-school horror stories, times they’ve felt like a “girl boss,” and much more.
Each week, DJane and DJ Raegs curate a list of songs that fit their stories and conversation topics, playing all types of music but focusing primarily on alternative rock, indie, and indie folk music. Their two-hour show is broken into four segments, kickstarting each hour with tunes and finishing up the bottom half of the hour with chat.
Get to know the DJs behind the board. Who are DJane and DJ Raegs?
DJane, also known as Jane Edison, is a freshman at UMass Amherst majoring in English with a business minor. In an attempt to get involved and push herself outside of her comfort zone, she signed up for WMUA’s DJ training course at the start of the Fall 2022 semester. She hoped to host a show to “share [her] music taste and have a fun on-air experience.” She holds music near and dear to her heart, relying on it to keep her sane and get her through long days. She tells us that you can’t catch her without “a little tune playing through [her] ears or a ditty being hummed.” Some of her favorite artists include The Beatles, The Neighborhood, The Arctic Monkeys, Amy Winehouse, Cage the Elephant, and so, so many more.
DJ Raegs, or Raegan Redmond, is also a freshman at UMass Amherst in the College of Natural Sciences. She landed on her DJ name because it stemmed from a nickname that reminded her of home, something she wanted to bring with her to the studio. Also taking the WMUA DJ training course in the fall of 2022, DJ Raegs “couldn’t wait to get back in the studio” once she had started. Raegan says she’s always had a strong affinity for music, recalling always having music in the house, her dad jamming out to ska on Saturday mornings, and her mom “belting Adele in the car.” Her taste in music “really depends on what mood [she is] in,” ranging from Big Thief in the morning, to Etta James mid-day, with Leith Ross to finish off the night.
If turning on “The Rundown” isn’t already a crucial step of your Wednesday morning routine, you’re missing out. Looking for interesting stories and wicked cool music? You know where to go.
Tune into WMUA’s “The Rundown” locally at 91.1 FM or through Fastcast from anywhere in the world. Visit the show’s Instagram page to learn more!
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