WERS 88.9 IS…
A commercial-free, listener supported radio station operated on the Emerson College campus.
We’re student-run and professionally managed, meaning our team is made up of a unique blend of people inside and outside of the college, all who LOVE music. It also means that students can learn firsthand from experienced professionals in the media field.
‘ERS has been named one of the best college radio stations across the nation. We’re not your typical college station however…
WERS is NOT a block-formatted station that only college students can hear. We reach over 150,000 listeners in the Boston area every week.
OUR MISSION FOR STUDENTS
WERS has been preparing generations of media professionals for 75 years!
Our mission is to provide a competitive broadcast environment that centers students in order to train and empower them to go on to be the next generation of media professionals.
With our wide range of opportunities to get involved, we’re not just for students who want to pursue a career in radio.
By participating in WERS, students have the chance to earn one non-tuition credit per semester.
OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED
We’re hiring students interested in…
- On-air hosting
- News writing and anchoring
- Marketing, promotions, and events
- Sales and media partnerships
- Audio, sound, and music engineering and mixing
- Photography
- Graphic design
- Video production
- Local music
- Writing music reviews and doing artist interviews
- Going to concerts (for FREE!)
- Digital and social media content creation
- Theater and performance
- Cause/non-profit fundraising
- Podcasting and audio production
LEARN ABOUT OUR TEAMS
We have many different departments for students to join that all work together to make WERS and WERS.org run smoothly and professionally. Students can join multiple teams, but will still only be eligible for one non-tuition credit per semester.
ON-AIR TEAM
The on-air staff host music blocks, both live and in person and are the voices of WERS, broadcasting to thousands of listeners. Students will gain professional experience in presenting music and Bostonian content.
Meet our former student programming coordinator: Izzy Mitchell, Class of 2025
“I have a passion for sound, and a love for people”.
SPONSORSHIP TEAM
The sponsorship team works to recruit local businesses as supporters of the station; and works on getting their business out to our listeners!
Meet our student underwriting assistant: Emelia Aragon, Class of 2025
“I got involved with the underwriting team for the opportunity to learn about something totally new to me that my degree program wouldn’t cover. A big part of why this even felt doable for me was because of how welcoming and open to the fact that I would be learning the Director of Underwriting, Ali, was!”
VIDEO TEAM
The WERS video team works to expand WERS’ reach — documenting live performances from bands in our studio, and capturing events.
NEWS TEAM
Members of the news team receive valuable mentorship and experience in audio journalism, whether through writing and delivering real-time broadcast newscasts or pitching, researching, and editing professional-quality audio packages on a wide range of topics for the weekly public affairs show, You Are Here.
Meet our former student news coordinator: Birdi Diehl, Class of 2024
“Radio became my home away from home— and news at WERS let me help others find their voice and project it for others to hear. I would not be where I am now without everyone at the station.“
PROMOTIONS & STREET TEAM
The promotions/street team serves as ambassadors for WERS to music lovers across the Boston area. The street team attends concerts, festivals, and local events to engage with our fans awhile also attracting new listeners.
Meet our student sponsorship coordinator: Laura Bott
“I absolutely love getting to play a part in our ticket giveaways, providing listeners with opportunities to go to a show and hear the songs live that they may have discovered through the station. It’s also so rewarding to have our street team at concerts to connect with listeners in person, and it’s always so cool to hear about their memories with ‘ERS, whether they’ve been listening for a few months or a few decades!”
LIVE TEAM
The Live Department is in charge of coordinating and recording live sessions in Studio 889. Live sessions from local and touring acts broadcast regularly on WERS. Students will learn skills in sound production and recording and facilitating live events.
Meet our student live mix coordinator: Rynn Dragomirov
“My favorite thing about being the Live Mix Band Coordinator is being able to represent WERS when communicating with artists and their teams. It’s incredibly special to be part of the process that brings live sessions to Studio 889, and the excitement of seeing those sessions come together makes all the hard work worth it!”
AUDIO PRODUCTION TEAM
The Production Team is in charge of everything you hear on 88.9 besides the music. This team creates audio production heard throughout the day to reinforce the sound image of the station.
Meet our student production coordinators: Ahni Brown Harbin, Undergraduate ’27, Graduate ’28, and Charlie DesJardins, Class of 2026
“I love doing production work because of how hands-on it is. We work hard to make sure things sound good, from new music spots to sponsored pieces and everything in between.”
“I love doing production work because of how hands-on it is. We work hard to make sure things s”Being a Production Coordinator at WERS has changed my outlook on radio! To truly hook listeners, the little things need to be just as good as the big ones, and my job is to make “music on WERS is sponsored by…” just as exciting as a Tom Petty song. It’s a fun challenge, but when a promo grabs you, it could be the difference between calling a big-name company or giving a local business a shot.”
ound good, from new music spots to sponsored pieces and everything in between.”
MUSIC/WRITING TEAM
The Music/Writing team is in charge of curating both our on-air and online content. Students will research new music and artists that fit the station’s style, working with the Music Coordinator to select new adds to our playlist. As writers, students will write weekly blog posts about the songs and artists played on WERS (concert reviews, album reviews, musical lifestyle pieces, etc). These posts are a mix of assignments from the Web Director, and individual pitches. You’ll learn how to curate and write content for a professional publication and have your work seen by a wide audience.
CREATIVE TEAM: DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY TEAMS
The WERS Design Team designs various graphics for the station, such as blog graphics, promotional materials, campaign designs, etc. Students will learn how to design for an established brand.
WERS Photographers get special access to shoot concerts and festivals, in-studio performances, and other events/projects for WERS around Boston. Have your work spotlit on Emerson’s largest blog with 58,000+ monthly page views.
Meet our student creative coordinator: Sarah Tarlin, Class of 2025
“I got involved with the creative team because it was a cool way to combine my love of music and concerts with my skills in graphic design. I’ve also been listening to WERS for a long time and wanted to get involved!
The creative team is special because it’s full of super talented artists and photographers and provides opportunities to gain even more skills in design and photography.”
SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANTS
Looking for organized and creative social media assistants who can help engage with listeners on the WERS accounts, schedule weekly programming posts, and come up with cool new ideas for social.
Meet our social media coordinator: Serenity Holland
“Working at WERS has been a thrilling experience thus far. I get to work closely with people who really make the magic happen, and more importantly, are true fans of music. Being a part of this team has enhanced my knowledge of radio’s role in people’s everyday lives and has taught me the significance of transparency and engagement when it comes to serving a wider community. I recognize the value of working for WERS every day I am on the job- it is both rewarding and priceless!”
