What happens in Vegas...

Ashland University's Journalism and Digital Media department took Las Vegas by storm last week during the annual Broadcast Education Association conference and National Association of Broadcasters trade show.

The NAB Show was expected to draw upward of
100,000 visitors during the week.

Four department faculty members participated in panel discussions at the conference, The BEA is the professional association for professors, industry professionals and graduate students who are interested in teaching and research related to electronic media and multimedia enterprises. The NAB show consisted of more than 1,600 exhibitors taking up more than 755,000 square feet of show space at the Las Vegas Convention Center. They were showing off the newest, cutting-edge audio and video technology and software. 

Dr. Gretchen Dworznik and Tim McCarty presented portions of JDM’s documentary, “9/11 Remembered” in a presentation titled, “The Local Documentary as Affective Experience.” Dr. David McCoy moderated that panel discussion.

Dr. Dworznik and Dr. McCoy both presented papers on using rubrics to assess creative work. Dr McCoy’s paper was titled “Assessing the Creative Content of a Social Media Blog Assignment,” while Dr. Dworznik’s paper was titled “Getting the Story: Using Rubrics to Assess Student Television News Packages.”

Dr. McCoy also presented the paper “Weblog World: The Effective Use of Blogs as a Digital Media Course Exercise,” and Dr. Dworznik presented the paper “The Evolution of Student Media as Guided by a Re-Written Curriculum,” during the four-day conference.

Finally, Matt Tullis was a panelist in the event “Tomorrow’s Needs Today: Making the Argument for Upgrade.” In this event, Tullis discussed how and why the JDM department revamped its journalism and broadcast production majors, as well as what the results have been thus far.

JDM to broadcast 24/7 on new Armstrong TV channel in 2012

As 2012 begins, JDM's TV broadcast operation offers a host of exciting changes and updates to the Ashland community. In collaboration with AU's College of Arts & Sciences and Armstrong, the department is launching a new 24/7 TV channel on Armstrong called, AU-TV20.

JDM Interim Chair, Tim McCarty, said a stronger relationship with Armstrong made the new broadcast venture possible, "Both JDM and the College of Arts & Sciences understand that Armstrong’s commitment to give us real estate in the form of a new TV channel to provide local programming is a win for our students, a win for the institution, a win for Armstrong and for our community.”

Dr. Dawn Weber, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said she is excited about the new partnership with Armstrong. “In 2010 we created the Department of Journalism & Digital Media with a goal of creating a converged media department to prepare students to succeed in today's media industry. Partnering with Armstrong Cable to create and launch Channel 20 is a critical part of achieving our goal,” she said. “I'm very excited to see our students, faculty and staff creating a variety of programming that focuses on community and campus events. As our enrollment increases, Channel 20 will increasingly become a key source in delivering news and entertainment to the Ashland community."

Several significant technologies will go online this month including a Leightronix UltraNexus broadcast video server and automation system, as well as a CastNet digital video message board system. Technology updates to the department's post-production capabilities, include new Avid Media Composer software, iMacs and an 8TB Facilis TerraBlock shared media storage network .

Anyone interested in submitting community event info to the new CH.20 message board can send it to: au-tv20@ashland.edu

And thanks for watching AU-TV20 on Armstrong!

AU hoops on STO

Ashland University's men's and women's basketball games versus Saginaw Valley State — games that the Eagles swept — will air on Sports Time Ohio today. The men's game airs at noon, and the women follow at 2 p.m.

Journalism and Digital Media students handled most of the work during the game, running cameras and working in the truck with director John Skrada, our esteemed operations manager. AU radio/tv alumni Ken Dworznik and Ted Klopp called the games.

The Eagle women have now won 15 games in a row and are 9-0 in GLIAC play (15-1 overall), while the men have won six in a row and are tied for the sixth best conference record at 5-4 (10-6 overall).

NATAS Faculty Seminar: Day 1

Our day began at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences complex in Hollywood. They have a cool courtyard with statues of the greats from TV. (If you can't tell by the nose, that's Bob Hope pictured!)

Our panel discussions featured a veteran producer on the business of television and the art of "the pitch." (Hint to students, successful pitches are not about TV or film, they're really about interpersonal communication, persuasion and having a killer script! Duh!!) Our second panel was hosted by two entertainment lawyers and was very enlightening about copyright, fair use and educational media.

After lunch we took a short bus ride over to the CBS Television City Studios and joined the audience for a taping of The Price is Right hosted by Cleveland native Drew Carey. The episode will air December 22nd so the audience was decked out in all of their Christmas glory. (Our group was on the far screen right...)

Tomorrow we'll hear from TV show executives (called show runners), Directors and will take a CBS Studio tour. In the evening we'll preview the new Kelsey Grammer show, An Evening with the Boss.

Still looking for a nearby IN-n-OUT Burger... A Double-double will be mine!

INTERNSHIP SPOTLIGHT: Laura Roberts

Laura Roberts will graduate in May with a degree in Sport Communication and Electronic Media Production and with a minor in Sport Management.  She has expressed interest in working with communications and mass media since her high school years when she wrote for school publications and served on yearbook staff.  During college she expanded her experiences with positions on both campus television and radio stations.  Upon graduation she aspires to return to New York City for work on television production.  Laura discusses how her summer internship helped her decide her future career path.

Internship: CNN/HLN’s Showbiz Tonight

Location of Internship: New York City, New York

“Job Title”: Production Intern

Favorite Part of Internship:  Having the opportunity to work alongside the top people in the biz.  From the hosts to the production assistants, those people really know television. Also being able to witness the inner workings of live daily television was a thrill.

Least favorite part of internship: Leaving in August!

What will you take away from this internship for future jobs?  This internship helped me figure out what exactly it is I want to do in my field of study and where.  I absolutely fell in love with television production and New York City.  It is a good feeling to know what I want to work toward as graduation approaches. 

How did AU and the JDM department help you succeed in the internship?  I was fortunate enough to work with the campus TV and radio stations; both behind the scenes and on-air as early as freshman year.  Classes the department offered such as Studio Production, Broadcast Reporting, Writing for the Media, Media Tech and Operations and, of course, practicum, helped me adapt to both past internships at WMFD in Mansfield and at CNN.

Oscar Docs All Worth Watching!

A Blog Converged would like to thank the Academy...

The good news is Hollywood's epic live awards ran a respectable 3.5 hours (compared to previous epics). The bad news? The show just seemed longer and was...really boring. Anne Hathaway can at least sing and dance. And we counted eight costume changes in her ultimate "dress up" host gig.

But from the "seemed like a good idea in the writer's room" file, James Franco as co-host? Of the Oscars? Seriously? In Drag?  Ouch...

And when Billy Crystal walked out on stage how many of you had this thought, "Why isn't he hosting?"

We TiVo'd forward to the feature documentary category. The five nominees were:

Exit through the Gift Shop, by Banksy and Jaimie D'Cruz

Gasland, by Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic

Inside Job, by Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs (Winner!)

Restrepo, by Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger

Waste Land, by Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley

 

Our picks? We couldn't decide between Gasland, Restrepo and Inside Job. Go see'um all!

 

A final Oscar note: one hilarious bit that slipped in under the radar ran on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live after most people went to bed. Their parody entitled, "The President's Speech," is well...next year's nominee for Best Parody Video in a Talk Show!

Latest Eagle News Update!

Play Video

Eagle News Update Headlines!

• Drug bust on campus
• Marisol opens
• R&B Singer Javier performs on campus

Latest Eagle Sports Update!

Play Video

Eagle Sports Update Headlines:

• AU Football sets records.
• Volleyball Coach fired.
• Scores and more!

Record setting WR Joe Horn guest on Lee Owens Show!

Senior wide receiver Joe Horn talks about his record setting Saturday on this edition of the Lee Owens Show!

Check out all the records tied or broken by Horn. Hey, don't take our word for it. Even ESPN thinks Horn had a great day!

The Lee Owens Show airs Friday, Nov. 19th at 10:30pm on STO.

Old Style Journalism vs. New Style Journalism Discussed

Fellow media students and educators...

Interesting journalism discussion between Ted Koppel, former ABC and Nightline host, and Dr. Jeff Jarvis, Interactive Journalism Professor from CUNY New York about traditional and "new" journalism on npr.org. Check out the audio! Or, read the transcript!!

Catch The Latest AU Sports News!

Eagle Sports Update Headlines:

• Football teams beats SVSU
• Women's Volleyball

Lee Owens' Show featuring Ashland Football set to air on STO!

The premiere episode of the Lee Owens' Show will air in primetime on Sports Time Ohio Friday, Nov. 5th at 8pm!

Produced by Ashland's Journalism & Digital Media department, the first episode features Matt Brubaker, a senior Sport Comm. major as host, Eagles Head Football Coach Lee Owens and special guest sophomore quarterback Taylor Housewright.

"The opportunity to have student-produced programming air on STO in primetime all over the state of Ohio, and all over the country on satellite," said Tim McCarty, Interim Chair of the Journalism & Digital Media department, "came about because of our unique relationship with STO and the Ashland alumni working there. We think it's a great opportunity for JDM students, and what sets this program apart from other college media programs."

Ashland University Creates New Digital Media Department!

Read the full story!