Getting Ready for the Broadcasting World 2007

Last Semester at WC and Lots To Do! January 24, 2008

Classes for my last semester started this week and it raises a lot of questions about the future.  The most important one I have right now:  What is going to be my final project and how is it going to help me in the future?

During class today we had a discussion about our projects and how far we’ve come.  For my project I just really need to pick out packages…put them together…and make them flow as perfectly as possible.  I’m no longer making it a half an hour but probably 15 minutes.  I want to put it on the internet to show future employers and when it comes to showcasing the project I want to work with the station by giving people a tour and showing my project.  I started looking at past packages from the past year and most of them are dated so I have to go back and see what I can work with and pull nondated stories and/or send people out to story ideas.  Just something I have to work on.

For the remainder of the month I have to continue looking for packages and story ideas and pick a final date for my presentation.

Christmas Break January 8, 2008

When you think about having over a month off for Christmas you get all excited.  No classes, no homework, and no extra curricular activities that need to be done.  You can lay around all day, go shopping and hang with friends.  But my case is a little different.  I’ve been working since the day after school ended for the semester.  I’ve learned how to watch four television channels at one time and make sure everything is running and there will be no snafu’s in the near future.  I’m still in training because not only do I have to watch stations but I also have to segment, database, get commercials in the system and also make sure programs are coming down from the satellite.  I’ve been working from 5:30 in the morning until 1:30 in the morning but now that I have that down pat it’s time to try out the afternoon shift until 9:30 at night.  Completely different shifts in my mind and I think I prefer the morning.  More entertainment…or maybe I like the shows better.

As for my capstone project coming along.  I haven’t really worked on it at all.  I need to have the motivation to sit down and re-write things that need to be rewritten and really think my project out.  I wanted to make an undated County Line but most of the packages from this past semester actually coordinated with the week which made it very exciting and very productive.  Hopefully this next semester will be the same.  We  have people returning and more people getting involved which is gonna make my scheduling more complex with more people.

School is fastly approaching and I can’t wait for my last semester at school.  Although it makes me sad to know that I have to go out in the real world soon.

Last Week of Classes! December 4, 2007

It is the last week of classes and I am very excited.  I am doing many projects and many papers and I’m ready to finally have a break.  My literature review is coming along but I may have to push the due date back by a couple of days but have it due before finals.

WYTV and WKBN are merging at the end of this week.  Last week half of the employees got fired and the rest got asked to join the new team.  I got asked to join so now I have to re-train on their schedules and learn the new equipment.  I’m very excited because it may help to get me out there in the future.  I start training next week…wish me luck.

New Route November 27, 2007

A couple of weeks ago somebody mentioned monster.com and the results  it could have.  So, me being curious, I checked in with the site and posted my resume and information important in finding a job on the site.  The very next day I got a letter in my e-mail saying the company from Erie would like to schedule an interview with me.  I was interested in the job or company so I did not take up their offer.  I am waiting for more responses or more jobs that I would be good at, to show up on the site so I can check them out.  Wish me luck!

Also, coming up is finals week and it’s full of papers instead of tests this year so that makes it easier to just stay in my room and write papers that are due.  Hopefully this turns out perfectly.

So Ready for Turkey Day November 19, 2007

Mock Convention Pictures

I put the link for pictures taken during the Mock Convention.  Like I said before it was a lot of fun and it really fast.

Now it’s time to focus on projects due when we come back from Thanksgiving break.  After break it always feels like a straight shot to Xmas.  Tomorrow I am following a producer at WFMJ and getting a feel for what they do and their advice for future producers.  I used to intern there so it should be interesting to go back and meet with some people again.  I do keep in contact with them and call them every now and then.  I keep being told it’s always good to network, network, network!   Hopefully this week goes good with projects, work, and not being able to go home for Thanksgiving.

A Success! November 13, 2007

The 2007 Mock Convention at Westminster was a success.  As previously stated, I was light on my rundowns so I thought I would have to really stretch everything.  But as it turned out, we ran perfectly and got all the videos played, all segments talked about, and plenty of the stuff that was going on on the stage.

At the end of the show we even got to run Bill Press’, our keynote speaker for the year’s, speech to wrap things up.  A very entertaining talker, therefore an awesome way to wrap things up.

I believe for my e-portfolio I am going to make, I will use excerpts from the Mock Convention video and my rundown with all my writing on it into it.  I am very proud of my work and it makes me feel like I can do anything that is assigned in the future.

It’s Gonna Be A Doozie November 6, 2007

This week is the Mock Convention.  The closer it gets the bigger the deal on campus which is pretty cool.  I’m hoping that people will enjoy themselves at this event.  Early this morning I was making the first rough draft of the rundown.  It took me two hours to get a four hour rundown done but it looks pretty good so I’m excited.  Every hour I am a little light but we still have stuff coming in and of course if people want to talk about their view, this is absolutely fine.  I have to admit that I am a little nervous due to the fact that I’ve never produced something this big but I am getting a lot of cooperation from my peers and help from my professors.  I do fear that we are going to have dead air at some point in the four hours but I think with my anchors who are well developed in this field, they will pull us through.  Or I can play an extra commercial.

Balancing Act October 29, 2007

Last week I started working on my literture review for capstone by following our morning producer at WYTV.  I got there around midnight and discussed with him what he likes about his job, what he does, who he usually has to work with and what not.  For the first 3 hours there he is the only one, he works by himself, I’m not sure how he can do that every night but I guess it helps to make sure he gets his work done.  He showed me the ins and outs of what needs to be done and where  international stories get pulled from.

After following him for the morning and seeing what he does.  It just reinforces what we do at school only he does it everyday where we do it once a week.  I still like the idea of producing the news and it would be cool to learn how to produce something else, maybe not necessarily in the news business.  I still want to follow other producers around to see what kind of job they do, and if it is any different from station to station.

Working and School October 23, 2007

I’m continuing to work at WYTV in Youngstown and I’m learning more and more every time I go. The first morning I went in for the morning show I was supposed to just watch and learn but 2 people called off so I got a 20 minute training session and had to be put on my own. That was fun so now I run audio for the news for 2 1/2 hours and then I go to master control to make sure the programs are running along with the scheduled commercials. I’m getting to know the people I work with but it’s going to be a while because everybody is so busy in the mornings that it’s hard to have a conversation.

Going back to school, last week I directed The County Line and it was an awesome show. I was proud of the work that got on air…thanks to our producer but I thought I got everyone in order and had them prepared ahead of time very well this week. (I try that every week but sometimes it doesn’t work.) There the show online for everyone to watch.

The County Line 

And we can’t forget that the Mock Convention is approaching very fast these last couple of days and I’ve started getting the rundown in order so that we may know what is going on.  Wish me luck.

New Job! October 12, 2007

This past week has been very hectic for me but very exciting.  I got a new job and I’ll be working at WYTV in Youngstown as a part time technician.  At this time I am working 3 part time jobs so time for homework, sleep, and friends are restricted to very little but that will only last for so long.

I had my first day at work on Wednesday and it was interesting learning the lay-out of the station.  I’ll probably get lost a couple of times at the beginning, the building is like a rat maze trying to find the cheese (studio).  I learned some of the stuff I’ll be doing in the next couple of weeks.  We had to go over the cameras, dubbing, segmenting, and where I can find the stuff I need.  I also met some of the people I’ll be working with.  I go again on Saturday and Sunday to go over weekend news and working with the people in charge during the weekend.

Also this week we had a meeting for the Mock Convention which is coming up faster and faster.  We met with the supervisor and got his input and schedule with what was going on during the two day event.  Once we get the final schedule we can start putting the show together and hopefully it will be a big success.

The following week is the light up parade which we have already started looking into things.  This will be the fun event that everyone can’t wait to enjoy.  Keep up with the adventure at Westmisnter, I’ll tell you what’s going on.