By: Guy Varela
On May 28, we were notified that two of 107.7 The Bronc’s daily features were ranked in the Top 5 on Feedspot! Feedspot recognized both Mental Fitness and The Bronc News Flash as some of the best podcasts on the Internet in their respective genres.
Mental Fitness was rated as the #1 mental fitness podcast to listen to on the web in 2024. This was the second time Mental Fitness has been ranked #1 by Feedspot in the last three years. The Bronc News Flash was ranked as the #4 breaking news podcast to listen to on the web in 2024. This is the first time The Bronc News Flash achieved a national ranking.
Beyond The Mic had the chance to interview the anchors, producers, and hosts of Mental Fitness and The Bronc News Flash, to get their thoughts on this achievement.
Mental Fitness
Recent music studies major graduate Evan Frisch ‘24 reflects on how important Mental Fitness has been to him and the podcast’s audience, “I was given the opportunity to be the host and producer and seeing it be recognized after the interviews, editing and recording I’ve done feels great, I think the biggest thing was having topics that I could relate to and the students can relate or understand deeply about (is what) made the show so good.”
New Mental Fitness producer Sean Higgins ‘26 is excited to be involved with Mental Fitness and learn from this experience. “I plan on finding the most intriguing people to spread the word about mental health awareness.” He also added. “I plan to introduce more focused topics to the show to help vocalize my own insight on mental health awareness and how important I believe it is.”
The Bronc News Flash
Moving on to The Bronc News Flash, Julia Train ‘24 had a massive impact writing and recording the news and updating all of the latest stories.
“It feels great to be recognized. My team worked super hard to make sure the updates were of the best quality each day,” Train stated. Julia also shared that it wasn’t just her, The Bronc News Flash was great, it was the other reporters and anchors who helped to make it so successful. “The team as a whole did. They all worked together to pick up days when someone else on the team needed help,” said Train. “When something big or interesting happened in the news, we’d share it in the group chat to make sure it was covered.”
2024-2025 News Director, Kadie Digiuseppe ‘27, has many tasks that include being an anchor and producer for The Bronc News Flash, as well as ensuring everything on the news team goes as smoothly as possible. “To come to the radio station in October and be put on the News Flash was a whole new thing for me, but something I knew I really wanted to do when I got to Rider,” mentioned Diguiseppe “It also is amazing to me that my team is getting the recognition that they deserve, because I don’t think they truly know how good of work they produce. I am so thankful.”
Digiuseppe believes that communication is key, if her team wants to continue excelling with spreading the news. “When we communicate and share news updates, make suggestions, take over for people when they are sick, we get some great stuff done,” said Digiuseppe. “I have full faith in everyone on the news team and I cannot express how proud I am of all of us.”
It Does Not Stop Here
We’re also proud of all the hard work that everyone behind the scenes have done for these two features and programs! We’re truly glad to see Mental Fitness and The Bronc News Flash being recognized not just at Rider, but nationally as well.
Don’t forget to tune in daily at the top of the hour to Mental Fitness and The Bronc News Flash on 107.7 The Bronc. Click here to listen live online or on app, or listen live on your radio on 107.7 FM