Student-Run Courier TV Makes Debut at College of DuPage
The new student-run "Courier TV" at College of DuPage is covering campus life while providing hands-on opportunities to learn about journalism and television production.
"Courier TV" delivers content through "Courier TV News," a news broadcast that covers a wide array of people and events at COD; "At the Mac," a talk show highlighting the McAninch Arts Center; and "Chap Life," a talk show that promotes events and opportunities for students and the community. Click here to watch episodes on YouTube, and click here to follow Courier TV Facebook.
Students in the "Advanced TV Production" course are doing everything from on-camera reporting to behind-the-scenes writing, editing and directing.
"We want to show people what our students can do," said Jennifer Piehl, Professor of Motion Picture/Television. "When class starts, no one is sitting still. We are always on the move, and students are completely immersed in their work."
Since beginning at College of DuPage in 2002, Piehl has wanted to start a regular on-campus broadcast. She previously worked for two years as the news director at Northern Illinois University, where she oversaw the production of daily news content. She then worked for one year at Neuqua Valley High School, where she started a regular newscast that placed second in a state-wide competition in just its first year.
The College's conversion from quarters to semesters in 2005, as well as a variety of other initiatives, placed the project on hold. The creation of the new Digital Broadcast Journalism program at COD provided the perfect opportunity to create a broadcast. Piehl decided to do so through this spring's "Advanced TV Production" course. In the future, production also will be part of the new program's capstone course, "Advanced On-Air Broadcasting."
Rob Nardini of Naperville is taking advantage of the new class as he pursues coursework to change careers. After earning a bachelor's degree in business and marketing from Northern Illinois University, he worked for six years at Dominick's corporate office before it closed. Now he's pursuing a Television Production associate's degree.
"What's great about 'Courier TV' is that we get to work in all roles - producing and directing a newscast, editing, and writing copy," he said. "It's fun because we can see what road we'd like to go down in the future. What goes on behind the scenes really interests me, and I enjoy the process of putting together a show for the public."
Nardini would like to either work in a television studio or a corporate environment.
"When I went to NIU, I thought about getting a communication degree but decided it was safer to go into business and marketing," he said. "By combining my business background with the skills I'm learning now, I can produce videos for corporations. But I'm open to seeing where I go once I get my foot inside the door."
Piehl said by the end of the semester, the students will have produced nearly 15 segments.
"I'm really happy with what they've done so far," Piehl said. "Everyone in our department has been willing to help out, and that support has boosted our confidence and improved the end results."
Piehl is also partnering with The Courier, which is the student-run newspaper on campus. She would like to expand on-campus partnerships with such departments as athletics or meteorology for a possible weekly weather segment.
Currently, students are covering events that occur on campus. Piehl's goal is to cover all of District 502 and give students experience with suburban news.
"When students leave here, we want them to know how to cover hard news, so they need to be at a car accident or at a fire which can be a difficult part of this job," she said. "This will give them a reel that they can use as part of their portfolio."
For more information about Courier TV or the Motion Picture/Television program, visit www.cod.edu/programs/mptv, call (630) 942-2892 or email glinkeg@cod.edu.