Lights, cameras, action — the “Ouachita” show, a student produced television program, airs every Tuesday at 8 p.m. on channel 10.
“The show is made up of a series of story packages that tell about different facets of Ouachita,” said Tiffany Eurich, instructor of communications. “People who aren’t here can learn more about Ouachita, and every month they have an opportunity to see what’s going on.”
The students involved are members of Eurich’s Broadcast Journalism class and the Advanced Video Production class led by Dr. Dave Ozmun, professor of communications and public relations associate. Other students involved do work study or earn their practicum credit with the video production program.
“We seek the students’ ideas and their creativity in it because they are plugged in a way that we [faculty] can’t be,” Eurich said.
According to student co-host Macy Buchanan, a junior mass communication and speech communications major, the project is a dream come true.
“When I was asked if I would like to co-host with [Eurich], I jumped at the chance,” Buchanan said. “I want to go into broadcasting so this is the best experience I can get.”
Senior mass communications and Christian studies major Nate Peace is the assistant producer for the show.
“My job is to organize and motivate the student workers to work with their reporters,” Peace said. “I will work through their story with them and let them know any necessary changes.”
In addition to planning and organizing assignments, Peace is responsible for making sure everything is finished on time and is of good quality.
“I rely on [Peace] to make sure the stories are getting shot and, when they edit, that they are following the rules and look professional,” Ozmun said.
Eurich was a co-host on the show while she was a student at Ouachita, and said she is glad she gets the chance to work on the show now as a faculty member.
“I started doing interviews about halfway through the spring and then co-hosting it here in the fall,” Eurich said.
The students in her broadcast journalism class are responsible for the reporting on the show.
“Part of their assignment is to create the news packages,” Eurich said.
The students will partake in all aspects of story reporting during the semester.
“Basically they will be the reporters,” Peace said. “They will come up with the questions. They will write up the script for each story.”
Ozmun is responsible for the overall editing of the show. He makes sure the show fits perfectly into its allotted time, and he oversees the video crew.
“I am the producer so I make sure stories get assigned, and I make sure they get finished on time,” Ozmun said.
It takes about three weeks to produce one episode of the show, so the same episode runs each Tuesday in a particular month. The November show will feature reports on ElderServe, the Ouachita Voices book and the new landscaping of the Conger grave.
Picture by Callie Stephens.
