Students experience hands-on in radio by Kevin King The Ranger Reporter

“We love everybody -- except that last caller,” says Benny to his FM90 audience. Theo laughs and nods as Benny reaches to answer the phone again.     

While they are off air, the repeat caller demands an apology for Benny’s comment. Instead of the apology, the man gets a “click” followed by a dial tone.

The morning show at Amarillo College’s FM90 with Benny and Theo has been going on a little over a month.

The show airs from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday on FM 89.9.

While listening to one of their shows, the listener may come to the assumption that Benny and Theo are two wild and crazy guys. In reality, C.J. Morgan and Theo Teague, both 20, attend regular classes at AC.

Theo would like to own an advertising company, and Benny just wants “to win.” But right now they are getting all the attention on the radio and are having a great time with it. “It’s a lot of fun,” Theo said.

“We’re popular,” Benny said. “Phones are ringing off the hook.”

Even though the show has not been on that long, they are getting quite a few listeners.

Josh Cooper, a pre-architecture major, said he listens to the morning show often.

“I have my alarm set on FM90, so I pretty much listen to them every morning while I’m getting ready to go to school,” Cooper said. “They are pretty funny.”

Business major Chance Beasley said, “I don’t usually like to listen to morning shows, but if I had to choose one, it would be Benny and Theo.”

Benny and Theo are pleased with the attention they are getting from the younger crowd, but they also want to reach an older audience.

FM90 got some equipment for live remotes so they can go out on location, literally reaching out to their listeners.

The live remotes will put the station, as well as Benny and Theo, in the public eye. Their next on-location visit will be at Fallfest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the Washington Street Campus mall.

Other new FM90 events include weekly contests.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, they put on the “late for class parking lot dash.” They hold a parking spot on Jackson Street, and if students are running late for class, they can call in around 8:30 a.m. and tell Benny and Theo they have been listening to the show.

Benny and Theo will have a parking spot reserved for the student.

Friday is all about love, Benny and Theo said, in case there has been a girl or guy a student has been eyeing in one of their classes.

Students can call Benny and Theo or e-mail them and the student can tell them that they want to be hooked up. Then they will eligible for a drawing. The winner receives a dozen roses and a free meal.

Each Monday is “work stinks” day, when   students can call in and tell Benny and Theo why their jobs stink.

The pair said they both look up to each other and respect each other’s radio skills. “Benny’s got a good on-mike talent,” Theo said.

They do sometimes have different opinions of things. “We argue a lot,” Theo said. “But I do think that he is better at this.” Theo said Benny should get all the credit for the show since he got the morning show started.

Benny said he looks up to Dr. Paul Matney, chairman of the Language, Communication and Fine Arts Division, who is his instructor in Mass Media Survey.

“He is incredibly smart and knows everything,” he said. “I look up to Dr. Matney and, of course, Theo.”