bookmark_borderMontco Radio New Studio Grand Opening

Montco Radio, the student-run Internet radio station at Montgomery County Community College officially opened its new studio in the Advanced Technology Center, Blue Bell, during a ribbon cutting celebration on March 13.

Streaming live 24/7 via the Internet, Montco Radio provides Digital Audio Production majors — as well as students from all areas of study — with hands-on radio experience both on the air and behind the scenes.

Speaking at the ribbon cutting, College President Dr. Karen A. Stout called Montco Radio “a model for the integration of curricular and co-curricular student involvement on campus.”

“Montco Radio is unique in that it brings together students from all backgrounds and majors to share their passions with a worldwide audience over the Internet,” she said.

Student Manager Chelsea Epstein notes that Montco Radio offers something for everyone.

“We have programs that range from rock, metal, punk pop, a local music show that broadcasts a live band every week, to barbershop quartet. We even have a DJ from Italy who does her show in Italian and now even broadcasts from Italy when she visits there,“ she said.

Epstein, who completed internships with Clear Channel Philadelphia, believes the work she’s doing at MCCC will prepare her for a career in the field.

“Being a station manager is a great feeling because I really want to work in radio when I’m done school,” she said. “It’s really great to put everything I learned into the brand new [Montco Radio] station.”

Morgan Betz, Montco Radio co-advisor and assistant professor of communications, works very closely with the students and experienced their reactions to the new studio first hand.

“The students love the new space. It is truly a state- of-the-art professional environment where students can get hands-on experience that will help them in their future careers,” he said.

Betz notes that students are involved many aspects of Montco Radio, whether it be hosting their own shows, being a DJ, engineer, creating PSAs, organizing events, helping with Music Mondays and Wednesdays, or providing live sound for other College events.

“Students can go to professional radio stations already trained on the equipment they use there every day,” he shared.

Radio at MCCC dates back to the late 1960s, when it began as a student club to DJ music on campus. In the early 1970s, the station gained audience when it began broadcasting in the College Hall cafeteria at the Central Campus in Blue Bell. The station began broadcasting on the Internet in 2003, and in 2008, the College began offering Campus Radio Workshops I and II, resulting in more professional content.

Today, Montco Radio can be heard internationally on the Internet by visiting www.montcoradio.com or by clicking the green microphone icon on the lower left corner of the College’s website, www.mc3.edu.

Montco Radio Co-Advisor and Communications Lecturer Jeff Asch, who is also a news and sports anchor for KYW NewsRadio, hopes the new studio, located in the heart of MCCC’s Advanced Technology Center, will promote student interest in the station.

“We wanted a bigger studio to accommodate multiple show hosts and guests,” he explained. “The new facility allows the Montgomery County Community College community to see us in action, as well as being able to see out onto campus and the lobby of the Advanced Technology Center.”

“I think it gives our students the opportunity to learn and hone their skills in radio on state of the art equipment and in a professional environment.”

by Christine Muszynski

bookmark_borderCareers In Media

Monday, March 4, 2013
12:30pm until 1:20pm

Speech Communication adjunct lecturer Eva Blackwell will discuss “Careers in Media” on Monday, March 4 from 12:30-1:20 p.m. in the South Hall Community Room, West Campus, Pottstown. Blackwell has many years of experience in various aspects of broadcast media, primarily in the Philadelphia area. The workshop is free and is open to all students.

bookmark_borderFamilies Cautioned About Internet Safety as New School Year Begins

HARRISBURG, PA — Agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit have made two arrests, including a Bucks County man who allegedly propositioned an undercover agent who was using the online identity of a teenage girl and traveled to meet the “girl” for sex, along with an Allegheny County man accused of sending sexually graphic webcam videos to what he believed was a 14-year old girl.

Attorney General Linda Kelly identified the defendants as Amitkumar P. Manvar, age 28, of 3241 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem, Bucks County and Robert Adam Kaduck II, age 27, of 991 Thompson Run Road, Harwick, Allegheny County.

Kelly cautioned parents to regularly discuss Internet safety with their children, especially as a new school year begins. She noted that these two most recent arrests highlight the types of dangers children can face online, including a suspect who allegedly arranged a meeting for sex less than a day after making initial online contact, along with another man accused of sending extremely graphic webcam videos of various sex acts soon after approaching an undercover agent who was using the profile of a 14-year old girl.

“Predators will take advantage of any available opportunity to identify and communicate with potential victims,” Kelly said. “The start of a new school year results in new activities, new friends and new schedules for young teens, and may extend the amount of time they are left unsupervised, either before or after school.”
Amitkumar P. Manvar

Kelly said that Manvar allegedly used an Internet chat room to approach an undercover agent from the Child Predator Unit on August 22nd, identifying himself as a 27-year old from the Bensalem area. During that initial conversation Manvar asked the “girl” if her mother was home and if she had a boyfriend.

According to the criminal complaint, Manvar contacted the agent again the following morning, stating, “I am coming to your area,” and explained the sex acts he wished to perform if they could meet.

A short time after that online chat, Manvar allegedly arrived at a predetermined meeting location in Montgomery County, driving a car that matched the description he provided online.  When he arrived at the meeting location Manvar allegedly exited his vehicle and waved to a female undercover agent who was waiting nearby.

Manvar is charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor (related to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse), a first-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Additionally, Manvar is charged with one count of criminal use of a communications facility, a third-degree felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Manvar was preliminarily arraigned before Collegeville Magisterial District Judge Cathleen Kelly Rebar and lodged in the Montgomery County Prison in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.  He was also ordered to surrender his Indian passport and is prohibited from having any unsupervised contact with minors.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 29th, at 1:30 p.m., before Magisterial District Judge Rebar.

Kelly thanked the Lower Providence Township Police Department for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation.

Manvar will be prosecuted in Montgomery County by Deputy Attorney General Christopher Jones of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Robert Adam Kaduck II

Kelly said that Kaduck allegedly used an online chat service to approach an undercover agent on July 16th, initially identifying himself as a 20-year old.  During their initial online conversation Kaduck allegedly requested photos of the undercover agent and sent pictures of himself in what Kaduck described as “girly slutt outfits.”

According to the criminal complaint, Kaduck engaged in a series of sexually graphic online chats over the next several days and also sent a number of explicit webcam videos which showed him engaging in various sex acts.  Kaduck also allegedly proposed traveling to Harrisburg, where he believed the undercover agent lived.

Kaduck was arrested in Allegheny County on August 23rd by agents from the Child Predator Unit and transported to Harrisburg after waiving extradition.

Kaduck is charged with two counts of unlawful contact with a minor (related to obscene and sexual materials or performances) and one count of criminal use of a communications facility, all third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.

Kaduck was preliminarily arraigned in Dauphin County Night Court and lodged in the Dauphin County Prison in lieu of $500,000 bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 31st before Magisterial district Judge Steven M. Semic.

Kaduck will be prosecuted in Dauphin County by Deputy Attorney General Christopher Jones of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.
Internet Safety

Kelly noted that the Child Predator Unit has made 311 arrests since it was created in 2005.

Kelly urged parents to regularly discuss Internet safety and security issues with their children, including the importance of telling a trusted adult if someone engages in inappropriate online activity, such as:

  • Sexual discussions.
  • Sending or requesting nude photos or explicit videos.
  • Sharing links to pornography.
  • Trying to arrange face-to-face meetings.

Additionally, Kelly said parents and other caregivers should also monitor how kids are using the Internet, including:

  • Checking the websites they use frequently.
  • Searching the social networking sites they visit.
  • Asking them to show you their online profiles on Facebook and other websites.
  • Discussing the items they may be posting online.

Kelly also encouraged parents to stress the importance of not sharing personal information online, like full names, ages, addresses, phone numbers and school information, and added that children should always be especially cautious about strangers who approach them online.

Suspected internet predators can be reported to the Attorney General’s Office by clicking on the “Report a Predator” link, located on the front page of the Attorney General’s website, or by calling the toll-free Child Predator Hotline at 1-800-385-1044.
(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty)

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Editors’ Note:
Photos of the defendants are attached below.
Click here to view the criminal complaint for Amitkumar P. Manvar.
Click here to view the criminal complaint for Robert A. Kaduck II.
If you have trouble viewing these items contact the Attorney General’s Press Office at 717-787-5211.