Renovated TV Studio Enhances Students’ Experiential Learning Experiences at CCI
Students producing Rocky Top Rundown as part of Professor Guy Harrison’s course in the newly renovated TV studio.
While interning with WVLT-News over the summer, School of Journalism and Media senior Ella Grey Macnicoll had the opportunity to produce news packages and work on the production side of the newsroom.
As part of her experience, she worked with Electronic News Production Systems (ENPS), which is a software system media organizations use to manage editorial content and production workflows.
Macnicoll said there was a learning curve but she was glad to have the opportunity to get to know this type of equipment as someone aspiring to go into news production once she graduates.
That is why she was excited to return to the College of Communication and Information this fall semester to a renovated TV studio which, among its several upgrades, includes the ENPS software utilized as part of her internship with WVLT.
“I’m super excited that we’re using something that I know for a fact is used in the industry,” Macnicoll said.
Providing CCI students interested in broadcasting and television productionthe opportunity to hone their skills on industry-standard equipment was one of the goals of the renovation of the TV studio located on the first floor of the Communication and Information building.
While the Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, manages the studio, the department welcomes CCI students and faculty to regularly use the space as part of their instruction and extracurricular activities such as producing shows for The Volunteer Channel.
Brad Lyle (‘96), adjunct lecturer for the School of Journalism and Media (J&M) and video production specialist for OCM, said the department understands that their studio space is one of the few TV studios on campus, and the college needs a space for students to get hands-on experience in broadcasting. He added it is a partnership benefiting both parties.
“This is all great, but if it just sits here and does nothing, what good is that,” Lyle said. “We welcome the students. We really want this to be a positive and a good learning experience for them.”
As a CCI broadcasting alumnus and almost thirty-year UT employee, Lyle has worked with students through the years. He said he is happy to see them take advantage of the newly renovated space to further grow their craft.
He wished as a student he had access to this type of experience at the college, and is more than happy to provide it for current and future Vols.
Lyle said renovation plans started about eight years ago through conversations with Tennessee Athletics about adding another control room on campus to help manage games. He said OCM and Athletics invested around $750,000 to make upgrades, which include new studio cameras, monitors, switchboards, studio desk, and much more.
“The thing that we will tout, especially for students that are interested in sports, is that when they walk out of here and go into a production truck or most TV studios, that’s the kind of equipment they’re going to see,” Lyle said.
Macnicoll encourages students to take advantage of the newly-renovated studio, adding there are multiple ways to get involved whether it be through regular classes or experiential-learnign opportunities such as The Volunteer Channel.
Starting this academic year, Macnicoll is serving as the executive producer for Vol News and looks forward to helping train students using the new equipment and software.
“It’s kind of a learning curve going from our previous system to the new ENPS software but now that we’re making it a standard for CCI it’s going to be a lot easier for students going forward,” Macnicoll said. “I’m super excited about the changes.”
J&M Assistant Professor Guy Harrison is also excited about the upgrades. He uses the studio regularly for his video sports production and performance class. As part of that course, students produce Rocky Top Rundown, which Harrison described as “ESPN Sports Center for UT Athletics.”
Students take on different roles as they would be in a sports broadcasting studio and produce a show featuring game highlights and feature stories from reporters. Harrison said the new studio upgrades will allow students to create an even more polished production while getting experience on industry-standard equipment early on. He noted typically college students are not exposed to this level of equipment until they are at an internship or first job.
“I think the biggest benefit now after the studio renovation is that a student can walk into an internship or their first job and be a little more confident,” Harrison said. “They have seen and worked on this type of equipment before.”
Renovated TV Studio Enhances Students’ Experiential Learning Experiences at CCI written by Ernest Rollins and originally published on the College of Communication & Information site.