JDM Senior Interview - Alan Naymick

JDM

Digital Media Production major Alan Naymick sits down with AUTV 20 Eagle's Eye host Brooke Young to discuss his involvement with AU Journalism and Digital Media and his career plans.

JDM Senior Interview - Steve Shrenkel

Digital Media Journalism major and December 2019 Ashland University graduate Steve Shrenkel sits down with AUTV 20 Eagle's Eye host Brooke Young and discusses his work for the JDM co-curricular media and his future professional career plans.

JDM December 2019 Graduates

Not long ago, two transfer students joined the Journalism and Digital Media department. On Saturday December 14, these transfers became Ashland University graduates. Digital Media Journalism major Steve Shrenkel and Digital Media Production major Alan Naymick were excellent contributors to JDM media and solid students. Good luck to them as they pursue careers in the profession.

Samantha Didion interns at WEWS News 5

Digital Media Journalism major Samantha Didion aspires for a career as a news or sports television anchor. Currently, Samantha is the Executive Sports Producer for AUTV 20 and the co-anchor of the AUTV 20 News Update and Live in the 419 programs. Last summer she had a taste of the professional media world as she interned with WEWS News 5 in Cleveland, Ohio. Samantha noted that the rapid pace of news gathering and live production affirmed her passion for this craft. She hopes to start as a multimedia journalist shortly after her May 2020 graduation.

Kate Siefert gives back to JDM

2017 AU Digital Media Journalism and Production graduate Kate Siefert returned to her alma mater in late October to both speak and teach. Kate, a television news anchor who will be moving from WTOV 9 in Steubenville, Ohio to a daytime anchor position at WWMT in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was a guest speaker in the JDM 331 Media Management course. Her speech was centered on Managing Your Career.

Later in the day, Kate reviewed AUTV 20 News Break and Sports Break programs with AUTV 20 Executive Sports Producer Samantha Didion and anchors Lydia Bice and Steve Shrenkel.

Jacob Hoffman introduced as AUTV 20 News Break anchor

Ashland University freshman Jacob Hoffman is now a rotating anchor for AUTV 20's News Break program. Jacob, who is a Digital Media Production major, hails from Indiana and is a member of the AU Men's Tennis team. Good luck to him as he launches his TV career.

Lexi Portner debuts as AUTV 20 News Break anchor

Junior Lexi Portner is now an anchor for AUTV 20's award-winning News Break program. Lexi, who is a Digital Media Production major, recently transferred to Ashland University from the College of Wooster. She is the sister of Digital Media Production graduate and WRDL Early Bird's Word host Zack Portner.

Jordann Lopata debuts as anchor for AUTV 20's Sports Break program

Junior Jordann Lopata recently made her television debut as an anchor for AUTV 20's award-winning Sports Break program. Jordann, who is a Digital Media Journalism major, will be very busy this year. She will serve as a rotating host for AUTV 20's The Eagle's Eye show and as a player for AU's Women's Lacrosse team. Best of luck to Jordann.

Emmalee Lamolinara debuts as AUTV 20 News Break anchor

Junior Emmalee Lamolinara recently recorded her first newscast as an anchor for Ashland University's AUTV 20. Emmalee, who is a Digital Media Production major, will also be a host for AUTV 20's public affairs interview program The Eagle's Eye. Congratulations for a job well done!

Brooke Young debuts as AUTV 20 Sports Break anchor

Brooke Young debuted as the Friday anchor for AUTV 20's award-winning Sports Break program. Brooke, who is a junior Digital Media Journalism major, aspires to a career as television talent. She has hosted the halftime interview segment for AUTV 20's and Sport Time Ohio's broadcasts of Ashland University football. She is also grooming to be the sideline reporter for future broadcasts of AU sports. Brooke can also be seen as one of the rotating hosts for AUTV 20's The Eagle's Eye interview series.

Congratulations to Brooke!

Kennedy Risner debuts as AUTV 20 News Break anchor

Ashland University sophomore Kennedy Risner debuted as an anchor for AUTV 20's award-winning News Break program. Kennedy, who is a Digital Media Production minor, envisions a career as talent in the television medium. Congratulations to Kennedy for making the first step toward her profession.

AUTV 20 SPORTS BREAK debuts new set

Change is often a good thing. For the AUTV 20 program Sports Break, change means a brand new set. Over the summer, JDM contracted with Uniset, a leading designer of television sets, to fashion and build what department chair Dr. Dave McCoy calls "an uber modern" home for the AUTV 20 flagship sports program. Once the set arrived in the television studio, JDM Director of Broadcasting and Operations John Skrada and AUTV 20 Sports Producer Samantha Didion added some uniquely AU touches to increase the sports theme.

Take some time to watch the first 2019-20 Sports Break (anchored by sophomore Lydia Bice) with the new set. Sports Break can be seen locally on Armstrong Cable channel 20 or anywhere by accessing the AUTV 20 YouTube channel.

Creative Executive talks to JDM 331 students

It is not often when a film company moves to a small Midwestern town. In the case of Good Deed Entertainment and Cracked Films that relocation occurred, as GDE recently settled in downtown Ashland. That move has many benefits for Ashland University students. Already, two Journalism and Digital Media students benefited from onsite internships. For the students in JDM 331 Digital Media Management, it was enlightening when GDE Creative Executive Andy Myers provided his insight to managing a film organization.

Myers, who has a film degree from UCLA and it close to completing his dissertation in the renowned USC film school, is a manager who is the link between the company and the film director during the creation of a movie. He supervises multiple people, including interns. He discussed personnel recruiting, budgeting and organizational communication in his fifty minute lecture.

JDM students receive academic honors

Several Journalism and Digital Media students were feted at the Spring 2019 Ashland University Academic Honors Convocation. Senior Digital Media Production major Sage Haines, junior Digital Media Production major Kellie Pleshinger and sophomore Digital Media Journalism major Isabella Pacinelli were the JDM selections for individual class awards. Sage and Kellie were also selections by the Art and English departments. Also, junior Digital Media Production major Sophi Cudworth won the junior Art award and junior Digital Media Production minor Nik Demers won the junior Theatre honors award.

Congratulations to these deserving students!

JDM Senior Focus---Emily Wilkinson

May 2019 Ashland University graduate Emily Wilkinson aspires for a career in film production. Emily, a Digital Media Production major, is a talented videographer and editor. She has worked for numerous social media sites as a content producer and editor. Emily hosted a radio show for WRDL and crewed for AUTV 20 programs. However, her recent internship with Good Deed Entertainment, a film production company, affirmed her passion for the video and film profession. Now that she has graduated, Emily will fulfill that dream.

JDM Senior Focus- Eric Metze

Eric Metze traveled many miles and many years in his journey to complete an undergraduate degree. Eric started at Muskingum College, then he took some time to pursue life and eventually enrolled at Ashland University as a Nursing major. But the medical life was not for him.

During his coursework for JDM 133 Video Aesthetics I, Eric decided to major in Digital Media Production. It was a decision he did not regret, as it allowed Eric to work myriad sporting events as a top-notch camera operator. Eric has crewed for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Indians, Sports Time Ohio and ESPN.

Upon graduation in May 2019, Eric is now a full-time freelance video camera operator.

JDM Senior Interview - Luqman Tarouti

Luqman Tarouti traveled across the world to get his education at Ashland University. Luqman, a native of Saudi Arabia, was a Digital Media Journalism major who contributed greatly during his tenure with the Journalism and Digital Media department. He was a prominent writer and reporter for both The Collegian and AU-Live. During the 2018-19 academic year, he was the creative director for AUTV 20 and the driving force behind the station's social media sites.

After graduation, Luqman plans to get a job in multimedia journalism, either in the U.S. or in the Middle East.

JDM Senior Interview - Nick Molnar

Digital Media Production major Nick Molnar likes working in television and video production. During his time with JDM, Nick served as a technical director, audio operator and editor for AUTV 20. His career interest is in working video field production and post-production.

A Blog Converged congratulates Nick on his JDM work and his career pursuit.

JDM Senior Interview - Bree Gannon

Bree Gannon wore many hats in her JDM tenure. She was a sports editor and managing editor of the Collegian newspaper, a host of The Early Bird's Word morning show for WRDL radio, and the AUTV 20 sports producer and anchor for the Sports Break and Sports Update shows. Bree also was the sideline reporter and halftime show anchor for the AUTV 20 and Sports Time Ohio broadcasts of AU sports games.

Bree was also selected, by her JDM peers, for the 2018-19 JDM MVP Award.

After graduation, Bree will pursue a career as a broadcast sports reporter and anchor.

JDM Senior Interview - Rachel Ramsey

JDM senior Rachel Ramsey will graduate in May and then move to West Virginia to begin her broadcast news career. Rachel will be a multimedia journalist for WDTV in Bridgeport.

She has served as an announcer and DJ for WRDL radio and anchored the News Break and News Update programs for AUTV 20. This year, Rachel worked as the news editor for The Collegian newspaper.

A Blog Converged and the JDM department wish Rachel the best with her media career.

JDM Senior Interview - Kaitlyn Moore

Kaitlyn Moore will graduate in May with a degree in Digital Media Journalism. Kaitlyn was the Feature Editor for the Collegian during her senior year and she has written some award-winning stories for the past few years. She also wrote and read weather forecasts for WRDL radio and crewed for AUTV 20 studio-based productions. Kaitlyn interned last summer with the Ashland Times-Gazette. An honors student, she successfully completed her honors capstone project in April.

After graduation, she will travel to Greece for the study abroad program, then return home and pursue a career as a journalist.

JDM Senior Interview - Sage Haines

Sage Haines will graduate in May 2019 with a double major in Digital Media Production and Commercial Art (with a concentration in Graphic Design). Sage has served as AUTV 20's creative director and program director, as well as the president of the Art Club. She won the Art department's Digital and Photography Award in 2018. Sage has been a mainstay of the AUTV 20/Sports Time Ohio broadcast crew while serving as the lead graphics operator. She also produced and performed on the WRDL 88.9 FM program Sleep Tight.

Upon graduation, Sage will work full-time as a graphic designer for the Ashland-based company Novatex.

JDM Senior Interview - Jake Smith

Digital Media Production major Jake Smith will graduate in May 2019, but he is not finished with academic pursuits. In the fall, Jake will be attending the Marshall Law School at Cleveland State University to become a media attorney. He was a Development Director and Production Director for WRDL during his undergraduate career. Moreover, he hosted The Early Bird's Word morning radio show for three years.

JDM students visit WJW Fox 8 in Cleveland

Students from the JDM 336 Broadcast Reporting and Writing and JDM 232 Video Aesthetics II courses recently ventured to WJW Fox 8 in Cleveland. The trip was coordinated by Fox 8 producer and JDM adjunct instructor Kelly Meyer. During the visitation, JDM students learned about producing a live television program. This experience will benefit them, as both classes have combined to create LIVE in the 419. The show will debut on AUTV 20 during Finals Week (11:30 am on Tuesday April 30).

WRDL Vinylthon 2019

For the third year in a row, WRDL 88.9 FM will participate in Vinylthon. This event calls for the station to play only vinyl records for a 24-hour period beginning Friday night April 12 at midnight and ending at midnight on Saturday evening. Vinylthon is sponsored by  College Radio.org and it coincides with National Record Store Day.

WRDL General Manager Derek Wood has been preparing all year for this very special show. Wood says that WRDL staff and alumni are very excited to keep the tradition alive. WRDL has a vast archive of records, but individual presenters will play many songs from their own personal collections. Vinylthon hosts include current station personalities, recent alumni and JDM faculty.

For listeners out of the 10 county range of the station, WRDL can be accessed by going to wrdlfm.com or clicking on this link.

JDM Senior Interview - Chris Martucci

JDM senior Chris Martucci is moving on with his academic career. Chris will graduate in May 2019 and then head to Missouri to begin graduate school in the famed University of Missouri Journalism program. While at AU, he was a varsity swimmer, hosted a radio show on WRDL 88.9 FM, reported for The Collegian and anchored for AUTV 20.

A Blog Converged wishes Chris the best in his future endeavors.

JDM Senior Interview - Trae Coopwood

Digital Media Production major Trae Coopwood knows his sports. Coopwood, a Mansfield, Ohio native, is a varsity wrestler at AU and a multi-year crew member of the AUTV 20 and Sports Time Ohio sports telecasts. He has worked for ESPN, Fox Sports Ohio, the NFL Network, WMFD TV and the Big Ten Network during the past few years.

After his May 2019 graduation, he will be pursuing a career as a full-time freelance videographer.

JDM Senior Interview - Michaela Ping

Michaela Ping is a very talented person. Ping, the Batavia, Illinois native, will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and Digital Media Production. She played on the AU volleyball team for four years and was named captain her senior year. Michaela has written for The Collegian and directed programs for AUTV 20.

After graduation, she plans to move to Columbus, Ohio or Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a career as a video editor or a graphic designer.

JDM Senior Interview - Ingrid Schmidt

This episode of JDM Senior Interview features Ingrid Schmidt. Ingrid has been the Station Manager of AUTV 20 for the past two years. She anchors News Break and AUTV 20 News Update for the station. She is a multi-award winning broadcast journalist (Intercollegiate Broadcast System Awards for the past two years and a Ohio News Media Association Award this year).

Ingrid also works for WMFD TV in Mansfield as a multimedia journalist and news anchor.

She will graduate in May 2019 and pursue a career as a news reporter and anchor.

Former AUTV 20 Station Manager lands at KUSI Channel 9

Former AUTV 20 Station Manager Sean Honaker recently made the move from the east coast to the sunny climate of San Diego. Sean will work in production for KUSI Channel 9's Good Morning San Diego program. Sean was the driving force behind the restructuring of AUTV 20 and his legacy is felt by every student who enters the Center for the Arts TV Studio.

Good luck to Sean on his new position.

AUTV 20 Eagle's Eye Show features Teresa Durbin-Ames

AUTV 20's public affairs program Eagle's Eye often features notable Ashland University faculty and students. In this episode of the series, Associate Professor of Theatre Dr. Teresa Durbin-Ames discusses her role as Director of the upcoming play Three Sisters and the importance of presenting classical plays to the university community. Dr. Durbin-Ames was interviewed by JDM senior, and AUTV 20 Station Manager, Ingrid Schmidt.

This program was a production of the JDM 213 Professional Practice: Television course.