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

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

 

Spring! Summer! Fall!

Congratulations to our amazing JEM students working at The Hub@TTU!

It’s that time again….Advising & Registration!  I wanted to touch base with you about some changes related to Journalism & Electronic Media and promote a few of our cool elective classes coming up this summer and fall!

Before we get started…just want to say Congratulations to the staff at The Hub and our JEM students who are picking up some awards this weekend at the Society of Professional Journalists Region 8 Conference!  Get this, the following will receive a 2013 Mark of Excellence Award this weekend at this conference — Hub Staff for Best Independent Online Student Publication, Alicia Keene, Abigail Arroyos and Evan Dixon for Online In-Depth Reporting (for Asbestos on Campus), JOUR 2013 alumni Sydney Holmes for Online Feature Reporting (for Watch me bare my soul and have a panic attack) and Claudia Tristan for Online News Reporting (for Surviving rape at Texas Tech University).  Congratulations to all! By the way, you can publish your work at The Hub — it’s easy

Grammar. Spelling. Punctuation.

Back in the fall, each of the departments in the college were given the opportunity to evaluate and decide about the role of the GSP for their majors. For the Department of Journalism & Electronic Media, the faculty decided to keep JOUR 2310, News Writing, as a requirement for journalism majors and maintain the GSP requirement. The faculty voted to allow electronic media and communications majors to have a choice between JOUR 2310 or a new course that will be offered beginning fall 2014 – MCOM 2320. This new class will be a course designed to teach about several area of media writing. Our faculty believes that students interested in news writing need to demonstrate the basic principles of grammar, spelling and punctuation. It is my opinion that we offer one of the best news writing course in the state — anecdotally, it blows me away every time I talk to a graduate who says something about how much they hated taking JOUR 2310 in college but how grateful they are to have had it!

Even though our electronic media and communications majors have a choice between two courses, I would encourage any student with a passion and career interests in producing, reporting, and writing for a variety of different media outlets to take News Writing. It doesn’t matter if you want to end up in sports, news, or entertainment, writing is important.

You must check with your advisor before changing your degree plan.  Also, you definitely must check about requirements related to the catalog year of your first enrollment at Texas Tech.  Advisors for JEM are:  Donald Ellis and Ryan Johnson.

JOUR 4301 – Issues in Global Journalism! Summer 2014!

Summer Coolness

JEM is offering several of our regular courses in the summer I and summer II sessions.  JOUR 2300, Principles of Journalism, JOUR 2310, News Writing, EMC 3310, Principles of Electronic Media, and more!  I did want to tell you about two special topics courses that can help you with global communication credits!  In our Journalism program, we are offering JOUR 4301, Issues in Global Journalism in Summer I — you can take this class from one of the world’s leading experts in the profession of journalism from a global perspective, Dr. Lea Hellmueller!  Its CRN is 30452 and it will meet at 10 a.m.

Really cool special topics class coming Summer II!

In Summer II, the electronic media program will offer EMC 4301, Audio Storytelling: Global Voices.  This course is designed to help students do long-form audio storytelling — and create content for a new program we are trying to get started called Global Reach!  The class meets at 10 a.m. in Summer II and its CRN is 64050.

JOUR 4301 — Sports Reporting — This Fall!

Fall Awesomeness

Fall is really going to be awesome.  JEM will be offering courses ranging from “technology touches” (JOUR and EMC 2000) where you can earn academic credit by ‘doing’ journalism and/or electronic media at MCTV, Double T Insider, KTXT-FM or The Hub to excellent electives about Analyzing Television, Public Opinion and Propaganda, Photography and….

EMC 4301: Understanding Video Games. Really cool class! Take it!

EMC 4301, Understanding Video Games (CRN 30923, MWF 10 a.m.).  Really going to be a cool class!

JOUR 4301, History & Practice of Sports Reporting (CRN 31508), MW 4 p.m.).  Thinking about going into sports journalism? This class is a MUST TAKE!

Check with Advising!  Advisors for JEM are: Donald Ellis and Ryan Johnson.

MCTV New Opportunities!

Get involved. Get an internship. Get a job.

We’ve had ALOT of recent student successes and cool stuff happening that I wanted to share —

• Lauren Estlinbaum, JOUR (May 2014) has been selected to be a Morris Management Intern.  Morris Communications is a media company based in Augusta, Georgia with a portfolio that includes newspapers, radio stations, magazines, books, broadband services, and event marketing.  Congratulations Lauren!  She represents the first TTU student to ever be selected into this internship program!
• Another first — A producer with Meet the Press notified Evan Dixon, JOUR (May 2014), that he had been selected as an intern for this long time staple of broadcast journalism!  Evan starts the internship this summer.  Congratulations!
• Remember that Texas Association of Broadcaster’s workshop?  Well, one of our EMC majors attended the workshop, networked and is now a reporter at KCBD-TV!  Congratulations Ashlyn Tubbs, EMC (2014)!  Ashlyn has been working with MCTV this semester.  In the past, she has worked at The Daily Toreador and interned with KLBK-TV.
• And…for you #SXSW fans….EMC major JB Felipe worked with Google on the #IngressReport #RecursionAustin project! 

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

• Please make sure you apply for a Texas Association of Broadcasters scholarship!  Deadline is coming up!

 

This camera needs someone to take an award-winning photo

Thankful

JEM and PR students representing the College of Media & Communications at South Central Broadcasting Society’s Regional Conference, Austin, TX, November 2013 (from l to r: Blake Silverthorn, Dr. Lea Hellmueller, Kaitlyn Kravik, and David Peveto).

Happy Thanksgiving!  

I’m thankful for having the privilege of working with the students, faculty and staff here in the Department of Journalism & Electronic Media.  We’ve been able to accomplish some amazing things and know that there are bigger and better things on the horizon.  The faculty continues to make adjustments to the curriculum and we would like to have your input about what types of classes you would like to see us teach in the next year or so.  Send your ideas to me at todd.chambers@ttu.edu and I will pass along to our JEM faculty.

JOUR Multiplatform Senior Projects Students, Veteran’s Panel, November 2013

Be AWESOME

The Tech Association for Student Electronic Media (TASEM) has come up with a slogan called: Be Awesome.  In my opinion, that’s what we all need to do every single day — be awesome.  This weekend, some of our JEM students won awards at the South Central Broadcasting Society’s Regional Competition in Austin.  Blake Silverthorn, Erica Taylor and Eric Van Allen picked up a 1st Place Award for their Goin’ Band From Raiderland segment and Katilyn Cennamo won 1st Place for her “Active Shooter” Video News Feature Package.  The Double T Insider production team won 2nd Place for Double T Insider!  Congratulations!

SBC Awards, November 2013!

My hope is that you plan to submit to the upcoming BEA Festival of Arts Competition — it’s part of the Broadcast Education Association and they put on a national competition every year.  The conference is in Las Vegas and I have some money for entry fees.  BUT, I need to know how many students plan to submit entries!  Take a look at the competition and see what you have that is AWESOME and let me know if you want to submit an entry:

http://www.beaweb.org/2014/festival.html

I need to know by December 5, 2013 if you are going to submit something for consideration.

Llano River at TTU Junction campus, Junction, Texas

HELP!

Dr. Jerod Foster, EMC major Jacob Copple and I are working on a project called “Texas Water Update” and we could use your help!

As you travel this holiday season, I’d like to ask a favor.  If you have a camera and would be willing, could you take some pictures while you are traveling during the holidays and e-mail them back to us?  We are hoping to start cataloging different pictures of land and water throughout the state of Texas.  We aren’t looking for professional grade photography, but we’d like to show images from all parts of the state.  If you are traveling and have the opportunity to photograph rangeland, farms, ranches, rivers, streams, lakes, playas, dry lakes, Gulf of Mexico, bays, etc….feel free to send your photos to:  photos@texaswaterupdate.com

We are building a website and would like to identify as many different images as possible from as many different counties in the state of Texas.  Please provide information related to the county and location (make sure it’s identifiable in the files).

Eat. Relax. Enjoy.

We’ve got just a few more days of the fall 2013 semester.  Enjoy your holiday.  Finish the semester strong — give every test, paper and assignment all you have.  Be awesome.

EMC major Blake Silverthorn, #WeAreCoMC

Think Global!

Celebrate Cotton at TTU

October. Fall. Texas Tech. Awesomeness.

We are just about six weeks into the fall semester.  Football team is undefeated. First round of tests completed (I know it seems that faculty get together and plan all of our tests to happen at the same time, but I promise we don’t do that!).  The farms around Lubbock are about to turn white with cotton.  Cold fronts are about to bring some cooler temps!  And….the spring 2014 schedule is about to be viewable!  Journalism and Electronic Media students get ready – there are some great opportunities on the horizon.

Journalistic Role Performance Around the Globe Project

New Faculty Member – and Think GLOBAL!  

Dr. Lea Hellmueller is a new assistant professor in journalism here at Texas Tech.  In spring 2014, students interested in global

Dr. Lea Hellmueller

journalism can enroll in a special topics course called — JOUR 4301.002 (CRN 49237), The Future of Global Journalism, MWF 3 p.m.  If you are planning to work in the global economy, take advantage to learn from one of the world’s leading experts in transnational journalism issues.

Dr. Hellmueller arrived in Lubbock a few days before the fall 2013 semester and she is already rocking and rolling in the classroom!  She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri and her scholarly interests (both teaching and research) focus on the areas related to transnational journalism cultures.  In fact, she is co-principal investigator for a project called Journalistic Role Performance Around the Globe. She is currently coordinating research projects in 25 different countries!  I asked Dr. Hellmueller how she got involved in the project.

“The idea was based on a collaborative research project at the Missouri School of Journalism in 2010. The idea was not solely mine, but part of my research collaboration with Dr. Vos and Edson Tandoc (my Fulbright friend at Mizzou,  from the Philippines). Our first paper on that topic most recently got published in Journalism Practice, as the feature article. The data we used to test the assumption is part of the data I gathered in collaboration with my two co-authors for my dissertation in Washington, DC.

While we started the project here in the US, my friend and main investigator of the JRP around the globe project, Prof. Mellado, had the same idea in Chile and came up with a much more elaboratedcodebook than we had. She discovered our paper and contacted me and submitted a panel proposal to ICA in London 2013. It got accepted and she invited me to Chile to work with her right before ICA. At first, we had about 5 countries involved, right now, we are looking at 25. One of our main goal is to include Western and non-Western countries and thru Prof. Mellado’s network, we are able to do so.”

I also asked Dr. Hellmueller why “journalistic role performance” is an important topic to study?

“It is very important because of practical and professional reasons, which needs some elaboration on the state of journalism scholarship. Much research has been conducted worldwide within the past 50 years on what journalists perceive to be their professional roles and professional norms in society (i.e., the way they ought to perform their job). However, not much is known about one of the basic normative assumptions of this stream of research: Scholars who study role conceptions argue that those roles are crucial for the content journalists produce. Basically, saying that the way journalists’ perceive their role will shape the stories they produce.”

Students can get involved (both undergraduates and graduate students) – contact Dr. Hellmueller (lea.hellmueller@ttu.edu).

New HD studios at Raider Vision – you can earn academic credit and gain invaluable sports broadcasting experience!

Advising

Make sure you contact your advisor – Don Ellis (donald.ellis@ttu.edu) or Ryan Johnson (ryan.p.johnson@ttu.edu) for information about course opportunities in spring 2014.  We’ve got several really cool opportunities in the spring semester — you can take courses from award winning faculty in principles of journalism or electronic media, visual communications and other courses.  In fact, you can enroll in EMC 3358, International Electronic Media, and earn your global communication

credit.  Enroll in EMC 3308 for a Visual & Performing Arts Credit.  JOUR 3350 and earn your Humanities credit while learning about the History of American Journalism.  Doug Hensley is teaching JOUR 4305, Sports and Media in spring 2014.  And, student can earn credit with practicum opportunities at TTU Athletics’ Raider Vision, KTXT-FM radio and others!  Plus, you can enroll in special projects courses and earn academic credit and learn about the production of television news at MCTV.  Talk to your advisor today!

Where have I ‘wandered’ today….

Take a look at this photo and let me know what faculty member’s office door this awesome Study Abroad opportunity poster is posted on….

New Zealand Study Abroad Opportunities