Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evening, a student-created production called “Ouachita” airs on local Channel 10. The program’s purpose is to inform people in the community — alumni, parents, prospective students and monetary contributors to the school — of things happening on campus.
The “Ouachita” show is a news program in magazine format (the style in which “20/20” and “60 Minutes” is produced — different features, each with their own story) and includes student profiles, descriptions of programs running on campus and various sports updates.
The show has been airing since September 1991 and runs the same show three nights a week for the entire month to reach as many people as possible.
The show not only airs on Channel 10, but also on local stations across the state. Segments from the show are also featured at The Signal site.
Dr. David Ozmun, professor of mass communications, appreciates the show’s purpose in creating an atmosphere of real-world application for students participating in the process.
“It’s important to me to be able to create an archive so anyone wanting to study the history of Ouachita could go to the tapes and see the educational mission,” Ozmun said. “It’s neat being able to give students hands-on experience to be able to tackle a job wherever it is they’re going.”
Students involved understand the value of the opportunity to be a part of the show.
Junior Rance Collins, the associate producer, has learned many things being part of the “Ouachita” production.
“It’s really taught me how a news program like “60 Minutes” is produced, how deadlines are pressing,” Collins said. “It’s taught me a lot about broadcasting and what one would encounter in the field. It’s very hands-on.”
Freshman Nate Peace, a student worker on the show, says the show is an even mixture of many different story categories.
“It’s a mixture of entertainment and news,” he said. “It’s really nice being able to contribute to what alumni see by contributing to this Ouachita production and helping make it the best show it can be. My favorite stories to put together are ones about students who are going above and beyond. It’s entertaining to hear about and it’s good for alumni and people in the community to know what’s going on at Ouachita.”
Dr. Jeff Root co-hosts the “Ouachita” show alongside a new student each semester to divide out the responsibilities and opportunities to host evenly.
This semester’s co-host, Vanessa Moody, thoroughly enjoys the experience she has had so far this semester on the show.
“I love working with Dr. Root, Dr. Ozmun and the rest of the TV production staff. They are all really fun and they make it a little more relaxing,” Moody said. “I was a little nervous before the first taping. I wasn’t sure what to wear, or how my make-up would look in the studio lighting, but I have helped film and work behind the scenes on previous tapings, so I already had a pretty good idea of what happens and what I should do.”
Each staff member has different jobs and assignments at different times, but the process is invariably the same.
“We come up with story ideas for reports, get the interviews shot and then put the packages together,” Ozmun said.
“Ouachita” airs on cable Channel 10 Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday nights at 5:30, 6:30 and 9, respectively. The shows can also be seen at www.obu.edu/ouachitashow.
