The recent dedication and naming celebration for the new Centennial Center at Rogers State University is just one of the stories featured in the latest “Happenings on the Hill,” a student-produced news program, which will air at 12:50 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, and Saturday, May 2, on RSU Public Television.
Each student in RSU’s Advanced Broadcast Practicum class produced a news story similar to those broadcast on newscasts at local commercial television stations.
“This is how students earn their grades. It is a very heavy production course advancing skills in video photography and editing with Final Cut software,” says Lee Williams, RSU communications instructor. Williams has 30 years of experience in broadcast news as a camera operator, reporter, executive producer and news director.
During the program, RSU junior Marcus O’Brien presents a segment on the dedication ceremony for the new RSU Centennial Center. Senior Danielle Gordon covers the RSU parade, celebrating the university’s first 100 years. Junior Joshua Haley provides safe spring break information. Ashlee Overton demonstrates why RSU’s art program is a major hit. And Kyle Olson takes creative license as he features someone who makes sports broadcasting happen on RSU Radio.
O’Brien is also the lab assistant for the class having spent more than 2,000 hours editing his own videos and posting them to YouTube, where he has tens of thousands of views.
The Advanced Broadcast Practicum class provides students with real-world experience, Williams says.
“Many of the students come in very green with very basic skills, but by the end of the class we expect them to have professional skills and be qualified to get a job as a photographer or video tape editor,” he said.
Advanced Broadcast Practicum is usually taught once each year by Cathy Coomer and Lee Williams, RSU instructors who both have professional broadcasting experience. To qualify for the advanced course, students must first take Introduction to Mass Communication and Video Production.
“The basic video production course is often the most fun course students will take and after they finish that, they are ready to develop professional skills in our Advanced Broadcast Practicum,” he said.
In addition, Dan Schiedel, general manager of RSU Public Television, critiqued the students’ work to make sure the product lived up to standards of quality and consistency.
RSU is the only public university on Oklahoma with a broadcast television station. After graduation, many students are hired for professional positions on the RSU campus and at Tulsa-area television stations. RSU Public Television can be found on most area cable systems on channel 19.