Opportunities, Accolades, and Remembrances

It’s late April in Lubbock, which means 50-degree temperature shifts, the odd breeze, and the conclusion of another semester in the COMC. Much to update you on, so let’s get right to it.

First, the Opportunities:

• We have a ton of great courses coming up this summer and fall. Have a look!

 

The Dallas Morning News is looking for a new Texas Tech sports blogger to cover football and men’s basketball for its award-winning website, SportsDayDFW.com. The blogger, who is expected to write about 30 articles per month, will begin July 1, 2015, and work through May 31, 2016. Pay is $300 per month. There also will be opportunities to have stories featured in the print edition of The Dallas Morning News. Email cover letter, resume and a variety of writing samples by June 1 to Tommy Magelssen at tmagelssen@dallasnews.com.

News and Accolades

• You’ll notice a few new (or perhaps slightly familiar) names among the JEM faculty this Fall. We welcome Dr. Leo Eko who joins us from the University of Iowa, where he was Director of Graduate Studies for several years. He brings a wealth of teaching experience in international media law, including his most recent book.
• Dr. Miglena Sternadori joins us from the University of South Dakota, where she served as the coordinator of USD’s Women and Gender Studies program and the editor of the Journal of Magazine & New Media Research. Dr. Sternadori worked as a journalist for seven years, including five as an investigative reporter in Sofia, Bulgaria.
• Finally, we welcome one of our own back to TTU: Erica Taylor (COMC Master’s grad) will begin this fall as Professor of Practice in Sports Media and help lead the production and development of Double-T Insider.
• May ’15 JOUR graduate Kaitlyn Kravik was just hired to be the In-Game Reporter for the Texas Rangers!

The Hub@TTU‘s West Texas Water microsite won first place for Best Multimedia Package at the Apple Awards, the onsite awards competition for the College Media Association annual conference in New York, NY on March 14.

The Hub@TTU was also honored on April 7 with two first places in the Region 8 competition at the Society for Professional Journalists, including Best Independent Online Student Publication, which will now go on to the national competition, and five finalists, including the only finalist for Best Digital-Only Student Publication.

The Hub@TTU also won the following awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association, announced in April:

• Best Use of Mapping, Online Div. 1, 1st place: Lucinda Holt and Anibal Galindo for The Lack of Title X Funding
• Best Interactive Graphic, Online Div. 1, 2nd place: JB Felipe with contributions from Alicia Keene and Abbie Arroyos for the TTU citations graphic in TTU Parking by the Numbers article within the Parking Development Includes Growth, New Technology  story.
• Best Use of Data, Online Div. 1, 3rd place: Alicia Keene and Abbie Arroyos for Parking Development Includes Growth, New Technology 
• Multimedia Package, Online Div. 1, 3rd place: Alicia Keene, Abbie Arroyos, Evan Dixon and Ben Jarvis for ICYMI: Executive Candidate Forum and Election Coverage
• Best Use of Data, Online Div. 1, HM: Lucinda Holt, Anibal Galindo, and Alicia Keene for The Lack of Title X Funding
• Best Interactivity, Online Div. 1, HM: The Hub@TTU website

• Professor Randy Reddick led collaboration between JEM and the Whitacre College of Engineering in hosting the third annual Appathon, attracting five finishing teams over the weekend.

• Fifteen female journalism students were able to sit down with journalist and television host Hota Kotb for an in-depth discussion during her visit to TTU on March 26.
• The JEM department co-sponsored the April 22 visit of author Max Brooks, who came to campus to talk about his work as a novelist and storyteller in literature and sequential art.
•  Assistant Professor (EMC) Justin Keene, Ph.D. was honored with a Professing Excellence award on March 26.
• Professor Kent Wilkinson was highlighted recently for his integration of NBC Learn multimedia content into his classroom teaching.
• Dr. Bill Dean was asked to speak at the Scholarship Luncheon for the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority (a room full of young women with 4.0 gpa’s), and he will be honored later this month for 50 years of service to TTU.
• Robert Peaslee, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair of JEM, co-published The Joker: A Serious Study of the Clown Prince of Crime with Robert G. Weiner (TTU Library) under the imprint of the University Press of Mississippi. This is the premier press in the United States for comics-related scholarship. More info: http://www.upress.state.ms.us/books/1773
• Assistant Professor (JOUR) Lea Hellmueller, Ph.D., was notified that two book chapters have been accepted for publication: one in  L. Guo, & M. McCombs (Eds.) Network Agenda Setting, (Routledge) and one in T.P. Vos, & F. Heindercyckx (Eds.), Gatekeeping in Transition (Routledge). Dr. Hellmueller was also notified that her $350,000 grant co-proposal to the Swiss NSF for Journalistic Role Performance in Switzerland was funded.
• Assistant Professor of Practice (EMC) Jerod Foster, Ph.D., was honored in the Daily Toreador with 3rd place in a poll on “best TTU professors.”

And finally, a Farewell and a Remembrance

Pete Brewton, who has served tirelessly as a professor of journalism and one of the founding advisors of The Hub@TTU, will be retiring from the COMC after this semester. We are incredibly lucky to have had him with us this long, and I know many of you have been inspired, pushed, and badgered into greatness by this uncompromising advocate for journalistic integrity. Be sure to join us on Wednesday, May 6 from 2-3pm in the COMC 3rd-floor lounge to say farewell. Professor Brewton, you will be missed!

Most of you have probably been informed of the passing of Professor Robert Wernsman earlier this Spring. We continue to be humbled by the impact Prof. Wernsman has had on so many students, and just in case you missed some of the news around his passing and the resulting memorials, I’m posting them here. It’s difficult to imagine the progress we’ve made as a College over the past two decades without Prof. Wernman’s enormous contribution. I know you’ll all join me in wishing the best to his wife, Dr. Marijane Wernsman, who retired this semester after many years of serving the COMC as Assistant Dean, and the rest of Prof. Wernsman’s amazing family.

Have a great summer, everyone. It’s my honor and pleasure to serve as Chair of JEM, so let me know how I can help!

rp

Welcome to Spring 2015!

It’s a snowy day here in Lubbock, but things will be thawing out soon enough.

As we move into the new year, we first bid a fond farewell to three great friends. To retirement we lose Dr. Jimmie Reeves and Professor Robert Wernsman, both whom were honored at our Spring Faculty Retreat earlier this month.

Several of you might be interested in the story published recently in the Daily Toreador about Prof. Wernsman, and you can access the tribute videos made by the College for Dr. Reeves (here) and Prof. Wernsman (here).

Dr. Kelly Kaufhold, meanwhile, has taken a position at Texas State, where he’ll be closer to his family. We wish him the very best and look forward to seeing him at JEM-related events around the state and region.

On the other hand, we welcome officially – as of Jan 1 – several new colleagues, courtesy of the the College of Media & Communications’ merger with the Department of Communication Studies. This a great move for the College, one that will benefit our students in a number of important ways. Read more about the merger here.

Professional opportunities for JEM students:

TKO Multimedia is seeking freelancer writers for its newest publication, Taste Magazine. You can view a digital issue of Taste here: http://www.tastelubbock.com/digital-issue/. To apply, please send a resume and a writing sample to tammy.neal@tkomultimedia.com.

The Television Academy Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2015 Internship Program. Over 40 paid internships are available in diverse areas of the television industry, from development to editing, from scriptwriting to marketing. The postmark deadline is March 16, 2015.

Entries are now being accepted for the White House News Photographers

Association 2015 Student “Eyes of History” contest which honors the best in student produced video and still photography.The contest rules and categories are posted on the website and entries will be accepted until Sunday, February 1, 2015.

• Scholarships!

• Headliners Foundation scholarship applications are being accepted through end-of-day on Mon., Mar. 2, 2015 from undergraduates who are demonstrating potential in and commitment to journalism. JEM has had success with the Headliners Foundation in the past! Application here.
• SESAC Systems is offering a $10,000 scholarship to a junior or senior (as of September 2015) at a college or university that offers undergraduate training in radio broadcasting and/or song writing related programs, such as advertising, mass media, communications, journalism, or music composition studies. Some radio experience is considered as a positive, but is not required. This scholarship is funded by SESAC, a music licensing company, (www.sesac.com) which contracts with radio stations for the rights to broadcast music by song writers represented by SESAC. Here is the application: IB $10000 Application Rules2015, deadline March 7, 2015.

Brags

• New LED lighting was installed in our television production studio recently, and Media Production Manager Josh Robinson shared this post from Prime Time Lighting Systems, who did the install under Josh’s oversight. Great work!

• Research success for JEM faculty and affiliated grad students! The following papers were accepted to the International Communication Association annual paper competition:

Berke, C., Keene, J.R., & Nutting, B.H. The effects of camera angle, arousing content and fanship on the processing of sports messages

 

Loof, T., Berke., C., Davidson, A., Adams, R., Greenlee, B., Nguyen, L., & Keene, J.R. The Effects Of Media Frames And Emotional Trajectories On Emotional Reactions And Cognitive Processing

 

Loof, T., & Keene, J.R. Can Incongruent Combinations of Media Frames and Emotional Trajectories Elicit Coactivation in the Motivational Systems?

All of these papers came out of the Cognition and Emotion Lab overseen by JEM’s Dr. Justin Keene.

• 2014 EMC alum Ashlyn Tubbs’ story package was featured as a “Top Video” at NBCNews.com  (it’s the story about the pennies — the buckets and buckets of pennies).

• JEM alum Louis Ojeda ’08 tweeted the below picture from the Division 1 College Football National Championship.

Tribute

Finally, JEM lost one of its great all-time contributors this week with the passing of Clive Kinghorn, a mentor and inspiration to countless Texas Tech media students over the years. We extend our condolences to the entire Klinghorn family and honor his contribution to our program. His legacy continues today, as KTXT-FM 88.1 flourishes in our new building.

Next up: Summer opportunities!

Fall is here, time to start thinking about Spring!

Nothing makes you think about January like the start of registration in November. In addition to our usual offering of required courses, JEM has two great electives planned for next semester – check it:

EMC 4301: Adventure Media (CRN 49234), meets MW 5-6:20pm with Dr. Jerod Foster (below)

What an opportunity! Only 20 spots in this one, and it’s going to be amazing. Get outside and experience the rush and the challenges of documenting adventure sports and activities with the tools of electronic media.

JOUR 4301: The Future of Global Journalism (CRN 49236), meets 11am-12:30pm with Dr. Lea Hellmeuller (below)

Speaking of opportunities, here’s another. Explore contemporary issues in international journalism practice with one of the leading scholars in this exciting area. This course will fulfill the Global Communication requirement as well as serving as an elective.

JEM Students met recently with several members of our National Advisory Board earlier this month, and many great connections were made. Be sure to stay in touch with those alumni with whom you’ve established contact. They are invested in your success and want to hear from you.

 

For the inaugural National News Engagement Day, the College of Media & Communication and the Society of Professional Journalists hosted #NewsTTU, a panel discussion in the Student Union Building at Texas Tech to discuss making news a national priority in the age of social media. The panelists included Jeff Klotzman, News Director for Fox 34, Terry Greenberg, Vice President of Audience for AJ Media, Dr. Erik Bucy, Professor @COMC, Alicia Keene, Editor for The Hub @ TTU, Katelynne Newman, Co-Manager @ The Outpost Social Media Lab, Carson Wilson, Editor-in-chief @ The Daily Toreador, and Scarlett Humphries, Media Director @ KTXT-FM. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Kelly Kaufhold, Assistant Professor @COMC. The hashtags for the event were #NewsTTU and #newsengagementday. You can see the Storify of the event here. Thanks to the Outpost for putting that together for us!

Students interested in conducting undergraduate media research: CoMC has begun a subscription with a national news monitoring service that permits searching of transcripts for network, cable, and local television news across all DMAs.  The service also includes some access to accompanying video content for most Texas markets.  Access to all nationwide markets is possible, but at a slightly higher cost. Contact Dr. Glenn Cummins, Associate Dean for Research, with questions about this or any other undergraduate research interests: glenn.cummins@ttu.edu

JEM students are doing great work!

Kudos to graduating EMC student Ashlyn Tubbs on her recent story about fellow COMC major Carly Smith!

Student leaders at The HUB have expressed a desire to build a number of Web “micro sites” each devoted to a specific topic, which they then would explore in some depth. In order to accommodate this desire, The Hub was quietly moved into a version of WordPress known as “Multi” over the weekend Oct. 24-27. While there were some interruptions to service during the transition, generally the move went smoothly as far as Hub visitors are concerned. An entry posted by HUB News Director Sarah Self-Walbrick on Oct. 27 captured more than 12,000 page views overnight Oct. 28-29 and had more than 4,300 Likes on Facebook by Oct. 30. Read the entry here.

Speaking of The HUB, we learned recently that they’ve received national recognition for outstanding multimedia stories from the Associated Collegiate Press. Read the story here. Congrats to Alicia Keene and Sara Self-Walbrick, as well as the entire HUB staff.

Lots of opportunities are cropping up for workshops, internships, contests, and other relevant experiences!

Submissions are now being accepted for the Television Academy Foundation College Television Awards, which recognize student innovation and achievement in storytelling. Deadline January 15, 2015 12pm PST. Learn more at TelevisionAcademy.com/CTA.

Apply now for a scholarship that will enable you to join other photographers at the next North American Nature Photography Association annual summit (San Diego, 2015). Details here. Deadline November 15!

Google Journalism Fellowships: Fellows will receive a stipend of $8,000 USD for 10 weeks during the summer of 2014 (June-August) and a travel budget of $1,000 USD. Applications open up in mid-November. More info here.

The Flatland Film Festival is coming up Nov 12-15, and as part of the festival, we’re offering a chance to join documentary filmmakers Mike Mooney and William Peters (100: Head/Heart/Feet) for an Adventure Media workshop with distance runners at Palo Duro Canyon. the workshop will take place Saturday, Nov 15, leaving at 7am, and costs only $35 for lunch, transportation, and filmmaking wisdom!

Cool Change

#NewsTTU – part of National News Engagement Day, Tuesday, October 7. Come on over to the SUB

Fall is my favorite season – get to see some awesome color changes in sunsets and in the parks across the city of Lubbock!  Get your cameras out and take some photos — make sure you send them in so we can publish them here in JEM Notes! Speaking of photography, I had the opportunity to meet and chat with Alyssa Haden last week.  She is a JEM major and a photographer at The Daily Toreador.  After our meeting, I asked her if she would mind getting all the JEM majors who work at The DT together and take a photo — she did and I was overwhelmed by the number of JEM students working there (and the picture didn’t include all who do!).  Make sure you take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities to produce content at Texas Tech!

JEM majors working at The Daily Toreador, fall 2014: l to r: Kristen Barton, Chantal Espinoza, Hannah Hipp, Kaitlin Bain, Liana Solis, Dani Copeland, Justin Gonzales, Anthony Estolano, Jacob Snow, Alyssa Haden, Anita Hamilton and Duncan Stanley

National News Engagement Day, Tuesday, October 7

The College of Media & Communication and the TTU Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists are hosting “#NewsTTU,” a panel discussion about making news a national priority in the age of social media on Tuesday, October 7 between 12:30 and 2:00 in the Red Raider Ballroom in the Student Union Building at Texas Tech University. This is part of an initiative supported by the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication called “National News Engagement Day.”  The idea behind this initiative is to try and make news a national priority again.  Topics will include:  Millennials and the News, Effects of Social and Mobile Media on News Preferences, and the Future of Local News.  Information about National News Engagement Day can be found at:  http://www.newsengagement.org.  Brian Williams from NBC News talked about National News Engagement Day last week.  He provided a great summary of what the day is about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eQd4gUu3hY&feature=youtu.be&list=UUPZZJ0_P-qhlVsLEg8JI-NQ

National News Engagement Day, October 7. Join us for #NewsTTU, 12:30 to 2:00 in the Red Raider Ballroom over at the SUB!

#NewsTTU Panelists include:

• Jeff Klotzman, News Director, Fox 34, Managing Editor, News @ Nine
• Terry Greenberg, Vice President of Audience, AJ Media
• Dr. Erik Bucy, Marshall and Sharleen Formby Regents Professor of Strategic Communication, College of Media & Communication
• Alicia R. Keene, Editor, The Hub @ TTU
• Katelynne Newman, Co-Manager, The Outpost Social Media Lab, College of Media & Communication
• Carson Wilson, Editor-in-Chief, The Daily Toreador
• Scarlett Humphries, Media Director, KTXT-FM, The Raider 88.1
• Moderator: Dr. Kelly Kaufhold, Assistant Professor, Journalism & Electronic Media, College of Media & Communication.

We will be using the #hashtag #NewsTTU for this panel.  The official hashtag for the event is #newsengagementday

Please try and use these hashtags for promotion before, during and after the panel.

The most awesome Aleesa Ross, Career Center Director in the CoMC!

College of Media & Communication Career Fair

Don’t miss the College of Media & Communication Career Fair, Thursday, October 9 between 1 and 5 p.m. at the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center (note: this is a location change!).  Don’t miss this event – this is just for College of Media & Communication majors.  How should you dress? Professional.  What should you bring? Resume (at least).  Who should I talk to? Everyone. Meet everyone.  Talk to everyone.  Ask questions.  Need more information: Aleesa Ross – aleesa.ross@ttu.edu.

Dr. Cam Stone, JEM Assistant Professor of Practice

JEM Faculty Spotlight

JEM is fortunate to have so many faculty with so much professional experience.  One of our new professors of practice is Dr. Cam Stone.  I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Stone for a few years both as a student (now a former student) and now as a colleague.  Dr. Stone teaches several classes in both journalism and electronic media.  I asked him a few questions:

What gets you fired up about teaching?

Seeing a student hang in there and persevere not knowing exactly everything that is going on in a course and then it finally clicking for them is awesome!

What projects/activities do you have that an undergraduate student can get involved in?

My biggest project at the moment is the Society of Professional Journalists organization. So far, we have a little better than 30 students interested in being a part of this organization. For officer elections, we have nine interested parties vying for four positions. The cool thing is it’s not open only to journalism students but all majors. Graduate students are also welcome to join.

What’s something we should know about you but don’t?

I love my music. The faster and harder the better. I jam out every day while working. If students have not dropped by and experienced this phenomenon, I urge them to swing by – especially if they are an audiophile. Professors Foster and Lowry hooked me up with a killer sound system which is sure to impress.

I had the opportunity to talk to one of our JEM majors and ask about Dr. Stone:

Professor Stone has been a revelation to my college experience. We met for the first time Fall 2013 in News Writing. I would always see him around the college but we never exchanged words so I never got to know the man with the ponytail. I remember my first time doing office hours for JOUR 2310, he was my lab instructor and I had a difficult time adjusting to writing stories and being grammatically correct but he taught me a very valuable lesson, it was okay to fail and make mistakes because it is the best way to learn. His work ethic, passion, and evident love for what he does is inspiring. He challenged my mind and character to go beyond being just a student in college to being a better man in society. Words will never be enough to describe the impact he has had on my life. — Dwayne Extol, EMC major

JEM Shout Outs

• JEM student Daniela Parraga has been named anchor/producer for KXTQ-TV, the Telemundo affiliate in Lubbock!
• Dr. John Velez, assistant professor in JEM, has a article coming out in Communication Research titled “Violent video games and reciprocity: the attenuating effects of cooperative game play on subsequent aggression.”

Dr. Robert Peaslee, new JEM Interim Chair!

New Interim Chair for JEM

I’m very excited to announce that effective October 1, 2014, Dr. Rob Peaslee is the Interim Chair for the Department of Journalism & Electronic Media.  Since arriving at Texas Tech seven years ago, Dr. Peaslee has launched programs such as the Global Lens and the International Film Series.  He will be an excellent chair and champion for JEM!  Make sure you stop by and meet him sometime!  I’m still around and am just doing some different things in the best college here at Texas Tech!  #WeAreCoMC! #WreckEm

Time for Thinking International Film and Internships

International Film Series

International Film Series

Here’s hoping your September is going great!  It’s hard to believe that we are almost a month into the fall 2014 semester.  Tomorrow kicks off an amazing season for the Texas Tech University International Film Series.  JEM’s Dr. Rob Peaslee serves as founder and coordinator of the series and would like to invite you to attend The Conformist on Thursday, September 18, 2014 at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.  Showtime is 7:30 p.m. I asked Dr. Peaslee why a JEM student should attend the event featuring this film —

The Conformist is one of the great achievements ever in cinematography. The direction and camera work are gorgeous without overindulgence – pure visual storytelling at its very best. Also, learn more about Italian cinema from Dr. Victoria Surliuga, who will introduce and discuss the film. Finally: the green chile cheese fries at Alamo are amazing.

For those of you new to Texas Tech University and Lubbock, Dr. Peaslee, the Department of Journalism & Electronic Media, the Thomas Jay Harris Institute for Hispanic and International Communication, Dr. Jimmie and Kathryn Quilliam Reeves and the College of Media & Communication have a long history with providing the community with excellent films from across the globe!  Please contact Dr. Peaslee for more information!

EMC 2014 graduate interned with Geiger Post through program from Television Academy Foundation

Why are internships so important?

For many of you, the idea of an internship seems like something that can be taken care of ‘down the road’ sometime.  Well, not really.  Media organizations are already taking applications for summer 2015!  Like today.

• The Dallas Morning News offers internships in news, editing, features, sports, web, photography, graphic arts and others.  It’s actually a paid internship ($15 an hour at 40-hours a week)!  Find out more information at the Dallas Morning News College Internship information page
• Gannett offers a really interesting “Talent Development Program” for students who have just graduated (so if you are graduating in December 2014, this might be for you).  Please look at this program (Gannett is a MAJOR communications company with print, broadcast, web and several other media organizations and opportunities).  Deadline for January 2015 class is November 14, 2014.
• Nexstar (KLBK/KAMC-TV) has opportunities for web development.  This is an excellent, local opportunity that you can gain some valuable experience learning about innovation.  For more information, contact Jason Davis at 745-2345.
• And, the most important resource about internships is located with Aleesa Ross, Director of the Career Center in the College of Media & Communication

In the industries of journalism and electronic media, internships really help you stand out among all other applicants.  So many students graduate with similar grades, similar coursework, and similar activities.  The internship demonstrates to employers that you have gone over and above the average.  We’ve had students get placed in internships all over – from local media organizations to major media brands such as Meet the Press, The Dallas Morning News and The Television Academy Foundation, home to the Emmys.  In fact, Mesgen Thomas Gebremeskel, EMC 2014, just wrapped his Television Academy internship at Geiger Post.  He’s now ‘official’ — Post Production Assistant with this Hollywood production company working on programs such as the MTV Video Music Awards!  I asked him about what the most important thing he learned through his internship —

…the big thing that I’ve learned about Hollywood is that even though it seems like a big industry, it’s actually very small. Everyone knows everyone in this industry. And don’t ever burn bridges with someone else, because chances are, you’ll work with them on a project in the future – Temesgen Gebremeskel, EMC 2014

 

New JEM faculty member Dr. John Velez

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. John Velez

Are you into video games? Dr. John Velez joined the JEM faculty this fall from The Ohio State University.  We are very excited that Dr. Velez decided that Texas Tech University was the place for him.  I’ve already had the opportunity to head over to Game Stop and make some purchases of some video games – it’s a shame he’s using them for his Understanding Video Games course :).  As a researcher and teacher, Dr. Velez has an interest in the effects of video games.  I asked him a few questions about teaching, research and Texas Tech (for those of you with an interest in video games, pay attention to his second answer) —

What gets you fired up about teaching?

I think one of the most important aspects of education is learning that life’s problems can be approached in many different ways which provides many different solutions. Therefore, I get fired up about teaching when I can tell students are learning something completely new that may change how they think about their daily lives or that may allow them to approach different aspects of their lives from a different angle.  

Are there any research projects you are working on that a JEM student can get involved with?

I have several ideas for projects. The current one is looking at the difference between playing violent video games cooperatively with other players or playing with Non Player Characters. I’m interested in players’ subsequent helpful and pro-social behaviors. I have a video game research interest group that meets in the fourth floor conference room in the Media and Communication tower (MC 414) Friday mornings at 8:00 a.m. We discuss current video game topics and possible avenues for video game research. Although I have my own ideas, the research interest group is there to support graduate and undergraduates who want to pursue their own research interests. There is also coffee and donuts to facilitate the process.

What’s the best thing you’ve learned about Texas Tech?

The best thing I’ve learned is that the students are very sharp and eager to learn. It’s been a pleasure to teach students who can pick up a lesson quickly and, through great discussion in class, show me another way to look at a topic.

I am pretty pumped that Dr. Velez is here – if you have an interest, make sure you send him a note and attend the Friday meeting!

JEM student Elisabeth Kauffman working the Arkansas v. TTU football game. Photo credit: Jerod Foster

Student Shout/Outs

• JEM student Elisabeth Kauffman (EMC 2014) helped out with the production crew as a Utility Grip for the TTU v. Arkansas game this past weekend.  Thanks to Dr. Jerod Foster for the photo!
• JEM students Daniela Parraga and Emily de Santos picked up scholarships this past weekend from the Headliners Foundation in Austin.  Congratulations! Six students won scholarships from universities in Texas.  TTU had 2 of those students!

Send me your photos!  

We would love to see what you are doing as a JEM major!  Send them to me — todd.chambers@ttu.edu 

Get in Gear!

KTXT-FM – come celebrate fall kickoff with free fajitas on Thursday, September 11 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., 3rd floor, CoMC!

Getting into Gear

One of the first questions that we typically get from new and/or prospective students is what type of ‘gear’ do I need?

Canon C 100 Series (not here….maybe soon!)

In a way, that’s a very difficult question. Do you have to invest hundreds or thousands of dollars in equipment?  Nope. But you definitely need to start thinking about what you may be working with once you’ve earned that degree!  In the College of Media & Communication, we actually have a facility on the 3^rd Floor (CoMC 373) that has DSLRs, audio recorders, HD video cameras. Check with your JEM instructor for more information about access. You can learn more about the Equipment Checkout Office and other facilities in the College.

 

Dr. Marilda Oviedo, new Assistant Professor, Journalism and Electronic Media

Faculty Spotlight: Marilda Oviedo

A headline could read: Dr. Marilda Oviedo returns to Texas Tech! We are very excited that Dr. Marilda Oviedo accepted a position here in the Department of Journalism & Electronic Media last year. She earned a B.A. in Electronic Media and Communications and a M.A. in Mass Communications from Texas Tech before pursuing her Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. Dr. Oviedo teaches courses in Visual Communications, Introduction to Electronic Media, Race, Gender, Ethnicity in Media and others! I asked Dr. Oviedo a couple of questions:

What gets you fired up about teaching?

The primary thing that gets me fired up about teaching is the ability to interact with students. I love when students engage with me and the material in a substantial way. Seeing students gain insight or understanding about a subject that they had previously not known is gratifying. 

What’s the best thing you’ve learned about Texas Tech so far?

Well, I received most of my schooling from here so I think the best thing I’ve learned is that it is still the same, if not better, than what I remember. The standards for teaching excellence are still high. The students are still bright and engaged. The campus is still gorgeous. And the people are still unbelievably kind and friendly. 

John and Brenda Askins – Proud Red Raiders and Supporters of KTXT-FM!

KTXT-FM Celebration! Thursday, September 11!

Come help KTXT-FM, its staff and volunteers celebrate a really cool occasion – it’s the Fall Kickoff for The Raider 88.1 FM on Thursday, September 11 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Join “DG,” station staff, student volunteers and others as we celebrate the naming of the facility in honor of a supporter of the station (and former station volunteer) Mr. and Mrs. John Askins.

KTXT-FM, The Raider 88.1’s Music Director, Jackson Wisdorf is a EMC major!

Student Shout/outs!

One of the most thrilling things for me as a faculty member is to hear about current and former students and all the cool things they are doing. We’ve got several students doing a some really cool gigs around town and even in our building.  EMC major Jackson Wisdorf  selects the new music you want to hear as Music Director for KTXT-FM, The Raider 88.1.  Another EMC major, Cutter Martin, works at the local NBC affiliate, KCBD-TV doing weather.  Please make sure you send me all the cool things you are doing to: todd.chambers@ttu.edu!

EMC Major, Cutter Martin, spends what spare time he has working at KCBD-TV – check him out doing weather!

Former student Dallas Baker, TELE (EMC) (2003) currently works for Shed Media out in Los Angeles. He just wrapped season two with E Television’s #RichKids of Beverly Hills. You can see his work as Editor for the series every Sunday night! By the way, his wife, Claudia Hoeve, JOUR (2003) spent most of last year as a Producer for Hell’s Kitchen on Fox.  She has been producer for other television programs like Say it to My Face on A&E, episodes of the Hatfields & McCoys for the History Channel, oh, and a little show called The Bachelor.

As you continue to pursue your passion, don’t hesitate to look at what others have done and where they are!

SCHOLARSHIPS

Ok – who would like to get a scholarship?  Well, you’ve got to apply!  Make sure you seek and apply all of the different types of scholarship options.  Make sure you visit our scholarship page at mcom.ttu.edu!  Next, pay attention to those opportunities like the one from the Broadcast Education Association (look at that cash!) and the Texas Association of Broadcasters (in fact, we had a JEM major win the first-ever Ann Arnold Investigative Journalism Scholarship this past year — their deadline will be in spring 2015)!

The BEA scholarship deadline is October 14 – you cannot do this at the last minute.  Please make sure you go ahead and apply today!

TTU Chancellor Robert Duncan, CoMC Dean David Perlmutter, DTI students Blake Silverthorn (MST, 2015) and Kaitlyn Kravik (JOUR, 2015)

 

Double T Insider, The Hub and MCTV

• Don’t forget to watch Double T Insider on Fox Sports Southwest and Fox College Sports this week!  We celebrated the national launch of the program and welcomed several important people to the party including Chancellor Robert Duncan, Provost Lawrence Schovanec, Dean David Perlmutter and more! Follow them at @DoubleTInsider on Twitter and like them on Facebook 
• Have you gotten a parking ticket?  Want to find out about parking here at Texas Tech?  Read the series about parking at The Hub!  Go to ttuhub.net and find out more.  Like them at Facebook and follow them on Twitter @HubTTU
• And….MCTV is getting ready to launch for fall 2014!  Contact Josh Robinson and Dr. Kelly Kaufhold for more information about how you can get involved!

 

 

 

JEM Notes – 2014 Kickoff!

What side of the camera do you plan to be on?

It’s finally here!

For me, fall semester is the best of them all! There’s something about walking around campus the week before classes start and seeing all of the excitement in the faces of just about everyone. I still get excited walking through the bookstore looking at textbooks (I’ve been known to purchase a textbook or two that seem interesting). Another fun thing for me to do is to go to an office supply store and look through all of the spiral notebooks, 3-ring binders and pencils – let me tell you, they weren’t different in 1984.

Big clouds above Texas Tech University, first week of fall 2014

This is a weekly newsletter for all Journalism and Electronic Media majors (and some who are just interested – so feel free to share with your friends). The goal of this newsletter is to communicate with you about opportunities you have to connect with different activities the Department of Journalism & Electronic Media is involved with. You will be able to stay updated on different course offerings, announcements related to MCTV, Double T Insider, Heads Up Display, KTXT-FM and The Hub, interesting projects JEM faculty are involved with, scholarship opportunities, and checking out what current students and recent graduates are doing!

Dr. Rob Peaslee, Dr. Jerod Foster and some innovative, responsible visual storytellers in New Zealand, Summer 2014.

What is JEM all about?

The goal of the JEM department is to train innovative, responsible storytellers.  Our faculty wants to help you succeed as a storyteller – please don’t hesitate to contact any of us with questions about what JEM is all about.  You should be seeing our new posters — “Which side of the camera do you plan to be on?” — and that really sums up what we are about.  With a degree in Journalism or Electronic Media, you can be prepared to work on either side of the camera.  Talk to a faculty member or your advisor and find out more!

MCTV Project Presentations

Student Organizations

The College of Media & Communication is hosting a Student Organizations Fair Wednesday, September 3 in the 3^rd floor student lounge area in the building. You can learn about all of the student organizations that are available to you in the college – make sure you look for the Tech Association for Student Electronic Media (check out this cool time-lapse video from a TASEM member) and Society of Professional Journalists! Both will have organizational meetings coming up soon! You can contact Dr. Jerod Foster (jerod.w.foster@ttu.edu) for TASEM and Dr. Cam Stone (cam.stone@ttu.edu) for information about SPJ!

Double T Insider

Don’t Miss

After you attend the Student Organization Fair Wednesday, head over to the Student Union Building for a “Watch Party” celebrating the national network launch of Double T Insider. We will be at the TV Lounge area near the Food Court area in the SUB. Stop by between 4:30 and 5:00 for the network debut of DTI on Fox Sports Southwest. Then tune into Fox College Sports for the debut of DTI later at 9 p.m.!

Double T Insider schedule for Wednesday, September 3 (check out info “Sports show produced by TTU students”)

Students Producing Content!

Many of you are interested in producing media content. Correct? There are several opportunities for you to do news, sports, weather, entertainment and other types of content for television, radio, web and other formats!

• The Hub: The Hub@TTU is an award-winning collaborative environment for students who are interested in producing a variety of different types of content related to the Texas Tech community. Check out their website: http://www.ttuhub.net. Follow them on Twitter (@HubTTU)
• Double T Insider: The Double T Insider is an award-winning student produced television program about Texas Tech Athletics. Beginning Wednesday, September 3, 2014, the program will air on Fox Sports Southwest and Fox College Sports. Kind of a big deal. Make sure to like DTI on Facebook and follow them on Twitter (@DoubleTInsider).
• MCTV: MCTV is the college’s daily newscast. This fall, Dr. Kelly Kaufhold (kelly.kaufhold@ttu.edu), Josh Robinson (josh.robinson@ttu.edu) and Roxie Bustamante (roxie.bustamante@ttu.edu) will be managing the newscast. Guess what – they have a spot for you! In the past two years, the program has produced more than 100 episodes and this fall will expand – meaning a need for more anchors, reporters, camera operators, technical directors, audio engineers, etc….Contact Dr. K for more details!
• KTXT-FM: Calling all college radio fanatics! KTXT-FM has a place for you! You can volunteer at the campus radio station – The Raider 88.1. In fact, next time you are on the 3^rd Floor, you can watch all the cool stuff they are doing – it’s more than music. The station has opportunities for those interested in news, sports, weather – in fact the station is home to play-by-play coverage of Lady Raider Soccer, Softball and Volleyball! Contact Derrick Ginter, station manager (ginter@ttu.edu). Follow them on Twitter – (@TheRaider881)
• Heads Up Display: Heads Up Display is a video game review show that is organized by JEM student Carmen Askerneese (carmen.askerneese@ttu.edu). It’s a show that’s just a little more than a year old and continues to grow!

Evan Dixon, JOUR 2014 (second from left), with other Meet the Press interns

Student Success!

We’ve got so many students that are getting jobs and high profile internships right out of college. One of those students is Evan Dixon – JOUR 2014. Mr. Dixon earned an internship with Meet the Press for the summer of 2014. Near the end of the summer, he applied for a job as a desk assistant with NBC News in their Washington, D.C. bureau. Guess what: he starts his full-time job this week!

Carly Smith EMC major and MCTV weather

At the next home football game, be sure to cheer on our JEM students who are doing some cool stuff.  You can find EMC major Carly Smith cheering on the Red Raiders!

JEM Faculty Happenings

Make sure you say “Congratulations” to Dr. Lea Hellmueller — her book, The Washington, D.C. Media Corps in the 21st Century was published in July 2014!

Dr. Lea Hellmueller’s new book published July 2014!

We’ve got three new JEM faculty members – Dr. Marilda Oviedo, Dr. John Velez and Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez-Renteria. We are very excited to have all three here at Texas Tech. This week, I’d like to introduce you to our Visiting Professor, Dr. Gutierrez-Renteria. She’s on leave from the Universidad Panamericana at Guadalajara, Mexico for the next two years. Dr. Gutierrez-Renteria is a scholar of media management and economics who is teaching two sections of EMC 4320, Electronic Media Operations for the department this semester. I asked her a few questions….

New faculty member, Visiting Professor Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez-Renteria

New Faculty Spotlight

 

What gets you fired up about teaching?

I get life! Meaning: share with my students knowledge –in a very easy way- about how the industry works and all the challenges that they could have as a professionals. I receive more from them, because they keep me up!

Are you working on a current research project that an undergraduate could help out with?  

EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO WORK WITH ME….WILL BE WELCOME! We will learn a lot.

I will be working with Dr. Wilkinson about the new media habits from young Hispanic audiences (Large research in USA and also others countries in Latinoamerica). Also, I will be researching the structure of the Hispanic media market in USA (challenges for Hispanic society, Hispanic media).

My research is about the new environment in the telecommunications and media industry in Mexico (facing digital convergence and the new legal aspects that impact telecommunications market).

What’s the best thing you’ve learned about Texas Tech so far? 

Trust. University environment. Great opportunity to serve society with my job. It is amazing the support that TTU give us as professors and scholars.  Environment of study! I am really excited here at TTU.

JEM shoes. Innovative? Responsible? Guess who?

Opportunities

• Check out this opportunity to submit your nature photography — Nature Photography Summit is February 19-22, 2015 in San Diego.
• Study Abroad Fair will be Wednesday, September 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the SUB Ballroom — make plans to attend and find out more info for some upcoming study abroad learning experiences!
• A TTU-affiliated organization is looking for a talented student who can help with logo design, web presence, print collateral and presentation ideas.  Let me know if you are interested.

Send me your photos!  

I would love to feature photos and videos of cool things JEM students are doing!  Please e-mail me .jpg or links to your videos at your blog, YouTube, Vimeo or other online place.  (todd.chambers@ttu.edu).  I really dig this photo from JEM major Emily Hamilton! Have a fantastic week!

JEM major Emily Hamilton working with color

Tell me I can’t do something

 

Double T Insider staff – watching bloopers from 2013-2014

There’s a great story about Maya Angelou who died a few months ago.  One of her friends had to dare her to write her first book.  As the story goes, her friend James Baldwin told a book representative – “if you want Maya Angelou to do something, tell her she can’t do it” (Hyatt, Michael, 2014).  I don’t know about you, but sometimes when presented with a challenge or if I ever feel that “I’m being told that I can’t do something,” it inspires me to at least give it a try.  Honestly, here in the Department of Journalism & Electronic Media, we encourage your ideas.  Give it a try.  At the very least – tell your story.

 

DTI that first year! From left to right – Maitland Rutledge, Blake Silverthorn, Josh Koch, Jason Angoy, Justin Vincent, Regine Cliatt, Eric Van Allen, Riannon Rowley, Erica Taylor

Double T Insider – Fox College Sports and Fox Sports Southwest

This week has been big — an idea that started with a single Journalism & Electronic Media student three years ago has evolved into a weekly television show that will be aired on Fox College Sports and Fox Sports Southwest.  This is a big step for Double T Insider and BIG opportunity for students in JEM and the College of Media & Communication.  It represents a team effort – a group of dedicated and passionate students willing to give up a lot of their free time, a college that’s willing to take a chance and an athletics department that’s willing to provide support and encouragement for this unique and innovative partnership.  Even though no one ever said “ya’ll can’t do this,” it took a group of students who were willing to do a lot of hard work, have dedication to see something finished, spend a lot of all-nighters, demonstrate patience, keep focused with determination and a willingness to do something outside of class.  I look at the faces in this picture and think – wow – most have graduated and are rocking the real world.  There are a couple of students with MA degrees, one with a Big 12 internship under their belt and another working in sports media down in the Houston area.  These are just a few of the students who volunteered their time and effort to pursue something they were passionate about.  They’ve all moved on to bigger and better things.  Maybe now’s the time for you to pursue and live your passion.  Speaking of that – check out practicum courses that you can take and learn more about live sports productions with KTXT-FM, Texas Tech Athletics and Double T Insider.  Talk to your advisor about those courses.  There are SO many opportunities in the department, college and all over campus.  Talk to one of your JEM faculty members about finding where you can plug in.

Kristen Helmberger, EMC major at Oops Doughnuts Productions in Hollywood

Student lands COOL internship…..after a guest speaker Skypes into EMC 3310

Speaking of finding your passion….Dr. Glenn Cummins is one of our outstanding JEM faculty members.  He taught EMC 3310 during the fall 2013 semester.  After a Skype session with Andy Fickman (ADV 1988) (Mr. Fickman is a director in Hollywood and owner of Oops Doughnuts Productions), EMC major Kristen Helmberger tweeted Andy Fickman after the presentation and asked about an internship.  Guess where she’s been this summer!  Yep – interning at Oops Doughnuts Productions getting to do really cool stuff — watching sizzle reels of upcoming movies, being on the set and learning a ton!  Take advantage of those moments!

JEM Summer Showcase 

Send me photos of what you are doing this summer!  I’m really looking forward to seeing what students in the New Zealand study abroad courses will send our way!  Also – TTU Junction. And all our JEM students interning, working, hanging out in Georgia, Austin, New York, Washington, D.C., Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth….Check out what JEM major Emily Hamilton has been up to with her camera!

JEM major Emily Hamilton spending some time with her camera in Houston

JEM major Emily Hamilton skyline

JEM major Emily Hamilton working with color

JEM major Emily Hamilton finding rainbows

JEM major Emily Hamilton catching color in the sky

JEM major Emily Hamilton – Wreck Em!

So, what’s next?

Let’s just make it happen.  Door is open. In fact, start with taking a special topics and/or elective course this fall —

Sports Reporting, News & Innovation, Advanced Web Design, Public Opinion and Propaganda, Live Sports Production (Hougland), Radio (Ginter), Producing Sports (Giovannetti), Understanding Video Games, and many more!

This Happened

Graduation May 2014

This happened!  Spring graduation was a success for the Department of Journalism & Electronic Media.  I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the class of May 2014.  I’ve already heard from a few of you who are working, interning or getting ready for graduate school!  We would love (actually we need) to hear about your career/job.  Feel free to drop me a note.

Alex Cruz, EMC 2014. What a great day for this family!

2013-2014

As a department, we’ve had a TREMENDOUS year!  Take a look at just a few of the accomplishments from our students and faculty between August 2013 and May 2014:

• JEM students win regional SPJ awards and recognition for The Hub
• JEM students win scholarships from Headliners Foundation and Texas Association of Broadcasters
• JEM students awarded prestigious internships including Meet the Press and Morris Communications Management Program
• JEM students work as stringers for New York Times
• JEM students land full-time jobs at KLBK-TV, Lubbock Avalanche Journal, KCBD-TV, KTTZ-TV, Texas Tech Athletics, George Mason University, Houston Community Newspapers, KJTV-TV, Prince George’s County Sentinel, Ramar Communications, WDHN-TV, RD Thomas Advertising, and many more!
• JEM hosts 1^st Texas Association of Broadcasters Regional Newsroom Workshop
• JEM co-hosted inaugural International Film Series
• JEM faculty published 22 journal articles, books, book chapters, and monographs
• JEM faculty presented 27 conference papers
• JEM faculty served on 24 dissertation committees and work with 12 master’s students on 6050 projects and other research projects

Katie Penkert, EMC 2014

Hands On Experiences

The JEM faculty listened and we wanted to provide you with as many hands-on experiences as possible.  Between August 2013 and May 2014, JEM (and other majors) helped produce —

• 99 MCTV episodes
• 23 Double T Insider episodes
• 7 specials
• 4 Heads Up Display episodes

This doesn’t include all the activities at KTXT-FM, The Raider, 88.1, The Hub and other projects.  And guess what – you can earn academic credit while getting some real-world experience.  In fact, this fall, we’ve got some really special opportunities that you need to take advantage of:

Eric Van Allen, EMC 2014

Double T Insider: this fall, we will offer a special section of a practicum class called “Double T Insider.”  This class will be designed specifically for students to earn academic credit and work on this award-winning production.  The fall course will be taught by Chris Humphries, a producer for Texas Tech Athletics (this is separate from the Raider Vision practicum).  Trust me on this — if you want to get into sports and want an opportunity to be part of this class, you’ve got to make it happen this fall.  BIG news coming.  HUGE.  The CRN is 12110.  It’s EMC 4300.004.  Don’t miss the opportunity.  This class will count for an elective.

Eric Van Allen (EMC), Lawrence Sierra (EMC), Alicia Keene (JOUR), Evan Dixon (JOUR) and Abigail Arroyos (JOUR) – all 2014 graduates!

News and Innovation:another great opportunity this fall is working with professionals at AJ Media to develop innovative news products for a younger generation.  You can get in on the ground floor of something truly innovative.  The class is JOUR 4301, CRN 34060.  Again, this course can count as an elective!

Emily Pellegrini, JOUR 2014

Summer Spots Still Available!

For Summer I, you still have time to enroll.  Make sure and check your schedule.

EMC 3308, Visual Communications

EMC 3310, Introduction to Electronic Media

PHOT 2310, Principles of Photography

JOUR 2300, Principles of Journalism

JOUR 2310, News Writing

JOUR 3355, Media Ethics

JOUR 4301, Future of Global Journalism

Time is running out! Enroll today! Talk to Don Ellis or Ryan Johnson and make it happen!

Don Ellis and JB Felipe, EMC 2014

 

JEM – so which side will you be on?

What side of the camera do you plan to be on?

JEM – new marketing stuff

What do you think?  Our College of Media & Communication marketing department developed this new ‘rack card’ that will be used to promote the Department of Journalism & Electronic Media.  What do you think?  Which side do you plan to be on?  Our department is about providing learning opportunities for students to become innovative, responsible storytellers. It’s amazing to see all the cool things that have happened for our students in this academic year; I’m PUMPED about what the rest of 2014 has in store for JEM students! Speaking of the rest of 2014…. Want to build your portfolio?  Want to help a media organization build new products to reach emerging audiences?  Want to get some real-world experience in leadership, strategic planning and content creation? Make sure you take a look at this new elective for fall 2014!

Journalism Elective JOUR 4301.003 – News Innovation at AJ Media

It’s going to be an excellent class — taught by industry professionals working at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal who want your input! In fact, this really is a unique opportunity to actually learn from the inside out about the fast-paced changes facing the media industry.

Dr. Kaufhold Guns Up at Broadcast Education Association Annual Convention in Las Vegas

Broadcast Education Association 

Ever wonder what “research” is all about?  Media companies depend on research to help answer very practical questions on a daily basis.  In JEM, we have several faculty members and graduate students researching a number of interesting problems/questions.  From Dr. Glenn Cummins studying the effect of camera angles on a television viewer’s attitude and/or perception about a college football game to graduate student Nate Rodriguez examining the Texas Country music phenomenon, there are some really interesting research studies going on.  Guess what? You can get involved and improve your resume just by reaching out to a faculty member and asking: “So, what type of research do you do? Is there any way I can help?” You will be pleasantly surprised and it could lead to developing a skill set and job opportunities that you never imagined.  Talk to any of our faculty members or ask one of the graduate teaching assistants.  All are working on some really cool projects!

Take a look at some of these opportunities with a few companies!

• Ad Sales Research Analyst Scripps Networks Interactive
• International Research Associate for ESPN
• Frank Magid Associates (just take a look at what this company does)

Dr. Hellmueller’s new book!

Speaking of Research

Check out Dr. Lea Hellmueller’s new book — The Washington, DC Media Corps in the 21st Century! The book will be available in July 2014 and it looks like a really cool read about how globalization effects journalistic practices.  You can find out more info here. Dr. Hellmueller teaches courses in journalism such as JOUR 3310, News Presentation I and JOUR 4301, Issues in Global Journalism.  You can take her Issues in Global Journalism course in Summer I!  Ask your advisor today about the course that will help fulfill your global communication credit!

Ultimate Gamer Tournament

Heads Up Display – Video Game Tournament

Every week, you will find a group of students filming a little web program called Heads Up Display in our studio.  Led by Carmen Askerneese, these students are definitely PASSIONATE about video games.  Coming up May 3, they are hosting the Ultimate Gamer Tournament at the United Spirit Arena.  This event will benefit a charity called Child’s Play.  For more information about how to sign up for this amazing opportunity (and really cool event), go to the event website.  You can also read more about Heads Up Display at The Hub.

SCHOLARSHIPS!

Please don’t let another scholarship deadline get past you.  Here’s more $$ available through the RTNDA.

Send me your cool stuff!  

I’d love to share the cool things that JEM students are doing.  Feel free to e-mail me different projects you are working on. For example, JB Felipe and Ben Jarvis recently traveled to the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas to check out all the cool new gear for film, television and electronic media.  And….took a fall off the Stratosphere.  Click on the photo below and see a video about what it’s like to jump off a tall building in Vegas and live to tell about it!

JB Jumps off the Stratosphere