JDM Senior Spotlight: Laura Lodwick

Journalism and Digital Media December 2020 graduate Laura Lodwick is ready for her media career. In this special Eagle's Eye video, Laura describes her experiences with JDM co-curricular media and chats about her future plans. She is a Digital Media Production major who was the radio Production Director and hosted The Early Bird's Word morning radio show on WRDL 88.9 FM and produced/technical directed the Election 20 live telecast on AUTV 20, along with stellar production work on News Breaks, Sports Breaks and AU sports broadcasts. Laura was a standout in the classroom and in the radio and television studios while she was a student at Ashland University and always willing to help the newer students in the program.

Isabella Pacinelli achieves national certification award

Digital Media Journalism major and Public Relations and Strategic Communication minor Isabella Pacinelli is an intelligent and dedicated student. Bella is an editor for The Collegian and a two-time JDM Academic Honors award-winner. She is now recognized as an elite honoree of the Universal Accrediting Board (UAB) Certificate in Principles of Public Relations, as she passed the rigorous examination last week. Bella is one of only 500 public relations students in the country to have earned this certification.

Congratulations to Bella for a job well-done!

Brooke Young publishes children's book

Digital Media Journalism minor Brooke Young is a very versatile person. She is an accomplished singer, savvy business owner and caring humanitarian, along with being both a television sports anchor and the host of Eagle's Eye for AUTV 20. Now, Brooke can add published author to her resume.

She recently completed the children's book Murray's Miraculous Mission. It tells of the adventures of her therapy dog Murray and recollects her experiences of taking her dog to nursing homes. She dedicated the book to her late grandfather, who also shared Brooke's passion to help others.

Christine Jenkinson starts as full-time reporter with the Ashland Times-Gazette

December 2020 Journalism and Digital Media graduate Christine Jenkinson will not have far to go to work in her first post-graduate media job. Christine, a double major in Digital Media Journalism and Digital Media Production, will serve as a full-time reporter and multimedia journalist for the Ashland Times-Gazette.

She is well-prepared for this position, as she held the News Editor position for The Collegian and the Breaking News Editor role for AU-Live. Christine also was the General Manager for AUTV 20 and Executive Producer for the Election 20 multimedia telecast this year.

Good luck to Christine!

Paul Murray is new Sports Anchor/Reporter for WHIZ TV

December 2020 Journalism and Digital Media graduate Paul Murray is well on the way toward his career as a television sports anchor. Paul, a Digital Media Journalism major, was the Executive News Director for AUTV 20 and a sports reporter for both The Collegian and AU-Live. He also called AU soccer games for Sports Time Ohio. This past fall he served as a sports multimedia journalist for the Scores & More program on WMFD Mansfield.

He now embarks on his post-graduate life as a sports anchor and multimedia reporter for WHIZ TV in Zanesville, Ohio. Paul will both be in-studio and in the field to cover national and local sporting events and stories. Good luck to Paul!

ELECTION 20 converged coverage produced by JDM students

 Every four years, in its brief history, the Ashland University Journalism and Digital Media department has used the Presidential Election year as a focus for a live coverage of local and national races. This year, JDM students are producing the first fully converged media (AUTV 20, AU-Live.com, The Collegian, JDM Streaming Channel and WRDL 88.9 FM) coverage of election night undertaken by JDM.  Students in three JDM courses (JDM 213, JDM 224 and JDM 234) have been working since August to prepare and produce for the Tuesday November 3rd production. Producers from AUTV 20 and WRDL, reporters from AU-Live and The Collegian and a JDM co-curricular social media team have spent countless hours honing elements that will be realized in a live 5 hour multicast (7 pm to 12 midnight).

To view, watch and listen----please use the following links:

For the AUTV 20 telecast, go to ashland.edu/cas/journalism-and-digital-media/streaming

For the WRDL radio broadcast, go to wrdlfm.com

For the AU-Live and Collegian web updates, go to au-live.com

JDM Well Represented at 2020 Presidential Debate

 Journalism and Digital Media staff, students and alumni are very busy people. During the September 29th Presidential Debate in Cleveland, JDM Director of Broadcasting and Operations John Skrada and recent graduates Zack Read and Trae Coopwood were integral crew members for the widely viewed telecast.

WRDL Fall 2020 Promo

Anticipation is very high for the unveiling of the new WRDL 88.9 FM radio studio. This seven month project, continued even through the COVID-19 period, just finished. A few more tests of the audio board, the refurbished transmitter and all of the other audio equipment are slated to be done by mid-August.

Please view and enjoy this short promo video created by JDM's Director of Broadcasting and Operations John Skrada. It gives everyone a glimpse of this fantastic facility.

New WRDL radio studio ready for Fall 2020

With a vision and a generous gift from the Triple T Foundation and Warren Jones, the new WRDL 88.9 FM radio studio is ready for the return of JDM students this fall. The stellar configuration has more space to conduct both radio interviews, new programs and musical performances. An in-studio stage was crafted to provide a place where Ashland University and community artists can perform in a live or recorded setting.

The dedicated work of JDM Director of Broadcasting and Operations John Skrada and WRDL General Manager Derek Wood, along with the AU Facilities department, paid off as they spent countless hours planning, revising, purchasing, building and testing this ultra-modern broadcast studio. WRDL is a centerpiece to JDM's growing academic and co-curricular program, as it allows students to garner audio production experience in a professional venue.

JDM grad Tyler Lance starts Missouri radio job

Former Journalism and Digital Media student Tyler Lance is moving on in his professional sports broadcasting career. After graduation two years ago, he landed a job with the Utah Jazz radio network. Now, he finds the next phase of his media life with a very nice full-time position with an Alpha Media-owned radio station in Farmington, Missouri.

Tyler will be working an on-air shift, delivering sports and news reporting and performing local and regional sports play-by-play.

Versus---A Creative Short Film by Sophi Cudworth

May 2020 graduate and Digital Media Production major Sophi Cudworth directed and edited a series of creative projects this year. Versus is a reflective look at her volleyball career and transition to life beyond the competitive athletic venue. Sophi edited this project as part of the JDM 412 Advanced Post-Production and Editing course this spring. It was also a major component of her Senior Art Show.

We Survived College | A Short Film by Jake Rayman

May 2020 graduate and Digital Media Production major Jake Rayman directed this short homage to his four years at Ashland University. It is both beautiful and reflective.

Jake will be pursuing a career as a digital media producer and director. This video is but a brief testament to his work.

JDM salutes academic awards honorees

Journalism and Digital Media proudly announces its three Academic Awards honorees for the 2019-20 academic year. Senior Kellie Pleshinger is a Digital Media Production major who will be pursuing a graduate degree in Film and Television at Chapman University. She was the Program Director for AUTV 20 this year. Kellie recently completed and successfully defended her Honors Capstone Project by writing an original screenplay for a proposed television pilot. Junior Isabella Pacinelli is a Digital Media Journalism major who is the Features Editor for The Collegian newspaper and a contributing writer for AU-Live. Sophomore Evan Laux is a Digital Media Journalism major who is the Sports Editor of The Collegian and a contributing writer for AU-Live.

Samantha Didion lands reporter/producer job at KDRV TV

May 2020 Digital Media Journalism graduate Samantha Didion will start her professional media career on June 1. Samantha will relocate across the country to Medford, Oregon where she will be a reporter and producer for KDRV TV. At Newswatch 12, she will report on stories of local interest.

Samantha was the Sports Producer and reporter for AUTV 20, a weather anchor for WRDL, a writer for The Collegian and a Managing Editor for AU-Live. Quite a busy person during her four year JDM career.

Good luck to Samantha.

The Eagle Way Documentary: The Path Taken through History for Ashland University Athletics

Journalism and Digital Media graduate Zach Read (May 2020) spent more than 18 months researching, planning, recording, writing and editing this one hour historical documentary about Ashland University Athletics. This program was the centerpiece of his recently completed AU Honors Capstone Project.

JDM congratulates May 2020 graduates

The Ashland University Journalism and Digital Media department congratulates its dozen majors who will complete their coursework and receive a degree in May 2020. This class represents leaders, scholars, writers and creative artists who left stellar marks upon all four JDM co-curricular media. They will all be greatly missed.

Shannon Brown Digital Media Production major
Sophi Cudworth Digital Media Production major
Justin Davis Digital Media Journalism major
Samantha Didion Digital Media Journalism major
Caleb Johnson Digital Media Production major
John Margida Digital Media Production major
Paul Murray Digital Media Journalism major
Kellie Pleshinger Digital Media Production major
Michael Prezioso Digital Media Production major
Jake Rayman Digital Media Production major
Zach Read Digital Media Journalism/Digital Media Production double major
Yuan Qi Digital Media Journalism major

JDM Senior Interview - John Margida

Host Brooke Young sits down with AUTV 20 General Manager John Margida in this segment of The Eagle's Eye. John talks about his four years at Ashland University, his involvement with the Journalism and Digital Media department and his career plans.

Ashland University Women's Athletics Feature

Documenting history is a difficult endeavor for any researcher. Combining historical research with the craft of video documentary is even more complex. Journalism and Digital Media senior Zach Read understood these pitfalls when he started his Honors program capstone project in Spring 2019. As his project defense draws near (April 2020), Zach shares a segment of his documentary with the viewers of AUTV 20 and A Blog Converged. This segment follows the rich traditions of women's sports at Ashland University.

JDM Senior Interview Shannon Brown

Shannon Brown JDM Senior Interview

Shannon Brown is a wonderful person and a very talented Digital Media Production major. She will graduate in May 2020 with dual majors in DMP and Religion. She will combine both of these majors in her future professional career.

Listen to Shannon as she talks with host Brooke Young in this special AUTV 20 Eagle's Eye program.

Hope Nearhood makes AUTV 20 News Break debut

Digital Media Journalism major and freshman Hope Nearhood recently make her television debut on AUTV 20's News Break program. Hope aspires to a career that will allow her to blend her two passions of media and political science. Watch Hope this spring on AUTV 20 News Break and this fall on AUTV 20's five hour live Election Night coverage in November.

JDM Senior Interview - Zach Read

JDM 

Zach Read has done many things in his four years with Journalism and Digital Media. He is the Managing Editor of The Collegian newspaper, director of AUTV 20 newscasts and sportscasts, host of a radio music program for WRDL 88.9 FM and a video documentarian.

Watch Zach discuss his college career with host Brooke Young in this special Eagle's Eye program.