WUTV through the years

The television station at the University of West Georgia (UWG) was created in 1971. It started in the Department of Education with only lighting and the walls as equipment. With the help of David Chapman, a student at West Georgia College, the studio was able to purchase curtains and build a wooden console for the control room, as well as build wooden backdrops for different sets.

The station has come a long way since its beginnings in ’71. Originally, the station only aired on . As the station began to transition into the digital era, the old analogue equipment began to be replaced. Lighting has been updated, as well as cameras, teleprompters, sound equipment and control room equipment, such as TriCasters and TV monitors.

One of the most recent and noticeable changes at WUTV is the physical look of the studio. Last year, the station ditched the old, bulky wooden backdrops for duratrans, which are back-lit displays, donated by Fox Sports. The new duratrans give the station an updated look and increased the convenience for set changes.

The newest equipment at the WUTV studios is the talk show capabilities. Melissa Martin, the graduate assistant at WUTV, explained this new technology not only allows the station to host a live talk show, but it also gives the students real life experience with live shots.

“That’s one of the most important things for us,” said Martin. “When the students go out into the work field, we want them to feel like they have already touched the surface of most of the things the stations out there are doing.”

Talk Show, or the station’s new ability to go live, is powered by Skype.

“We can broadcast video through anything with an Internet source, so computers, iPads, tablets or even phones.”

The station can set up an interview or send out reporters to correspond live with the in-studio anchor.

With these new capabilities the station will now be able to broadcast any event or interviewee live from where ever that person is, so long as that person has a Skype account and an Internet connection.

WUTV acts as an instructional and experiential learning laboratory for the students at UWG, and Martin hopes this new capability will allow students

“In the news industry, it’s lights, camera, action,” said Martin, “There

WUTV is a place for Mass Communications students to learn the ins and outs of the television world. Students can learn how to work a camera, edit footage, learn about audio and even learn what goes into the production process of a show. The station serves as a tool for students to learn and gain experience before graduating and pursuing a career. The new talk show software adds a new element to the learning process.

“When the students go out and get jobs, they can say that they have experience with doing live shots. That’s really the big deal for us,” said Martin.

Erin

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