HUNTERDON CENTRAL REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

BROADCASTING TECHNOLOGY
Curricular Highlights
John began using the UbD template in the TV1 course. One unit is complete and another in the works. New
material has been added to the course regarding digital video.
There were many curricular highlights added to the Radio II class this year. Voicetracking, the recoding of a
radio show before it airs, was undertaken by all my Radio II students each week, as they researched and then
prerecorded a Top 9 at 9 radio show, or the Country 101 show.
“Eye on Hunterdon” was a final project of sorts for the first quarter of the Radio II class. The students worked
in teams to research, contact, interview, and edit a 10-minute radio show showcasing the people and
organizations having a positive effect on Hunterdon County. The results of the students work has been airing
on WCVH every Saturday morning.
Website Design was another Radio II highlight. The class was shown two different website design sites,
designed to create new websites, and each student was asked to create a website for a fake radio station. Instead
of just comparing and contrasting real radio station websites and then having students discuss what they would
if asked to create a website, the Radio II class actually created their own website. The results were quite
impressive.
New Programs
We have begun using 100% digital, widescreen cameras in all of our work, resulting in a savings by not having
to purchase raw tape stock. The editing computers have all been upgraded and students are now using Adobe
Creative Suite 3. Plans have been finalized for the upgrades to the Communications Building and the TV
Studio equipment.
Both radio highlights listed above could be considered program highlights as both the Voicetracking and “Eye
on Hunterdon” work had a positive effect on the station, and the students’ understanding of broadcast media.
Instituting new radio shows, including a country spotlight show, a request show, a new music show, live instudio
music shows, live broadcasts (both the Soup Cook-Off and the Amnesty Concert series), a Friday night
Countdown, Alternative Central and Country 101 all provided students with the opportunity to see different
types of radio shows available to them, and provided them all with different experiences. From Voicetracking
and researching, to setting up live equipment and mixing, as well as honing interviewing skills, the students
who ran the different radio shows received real experience of what it is like in a professional radio studio rather
than just sitting in the studio introducing songs. Effort was given to attempt to make sure each radio show had a
special theme.
We had new sports broadcasters, broadcasting football and basketball and, for the first time since I have been
here, baseball. Student broadcasters received experience calling real sporting events (and for the six students
we took to the State championship football game – what it is like in a real college broadcasting booth with stat
equipment, etc.).
12