PLANNING FOR GROWTH IN YEARS OF RESTRICTED RESOURCES

exchange of professionals and students twice each semester. With approval fromAEJMC, the first group of professionals from WTHI-TV came to Ball StateUniversity’s campus in October of 2001. Arriving were the co-author, Genie Garner,News Director at WTHI-TV, and Kelly Cress, Executive Producer. This first visit wasto set up the parameters for the students coming to Terre Haute the following monthalong with the logistical aspects of such an endeavor. Since the Department ofTelecommunications is typical of most programs across the country, the two visitorswere assigned to lecture to many of the news classes during their stay.During this time, they were also introduced to the department’s working newscastlaboratory, NewsCenter 43. To quote the co-author, “we were totally amazed andimpressed. The teamwork was amazing.”After the newscast, the news representativeswent out to dinner with the students to dissect the newscast and to offer pointers toimprove its on-air look and contents. During this stay, the students who were going toTerre Haute were given the chance to get to know the News Director and ExecutiveProducer since they would be reporting to them during the students stay in November.Five students from the Department of Telecommunications drove the two-and-a-halfhour distance from Muncie to Terre Haute, Indiana, to work at WTHI-TV November12 and 13, 2001. The group that was chosen to attend was decided by the NewsDirector (Amy Barnette) for NewsCenter 43 with assistance from the faculty advisor,who is a co-author of this article. This placed an enormous burden on student NewsDirector but it was felt that she had earned the right to make the tough calls. This wasnot an easy decision. There were many deserving students who wanted to attend. Also,the dates were during the school week, meaning students would need to get permissionfrom their professors to miss classes during the week. Going to Terre Haute were theNews Director Amy Barnette, a reporter (Kylie Gandolf), a producer (JasonBrocklesby), and two shooter/editors (Sonny Wingler and Doug Moon).It was important that more than just on-air people attend. Part of the agreement wasthat students who were interested in being behind the scenes had an opportunity towork with professionals. The two shooter/editors were going to be given cameras totake out and shoot stories. The staff photographers gave them training on theequipment, so that the number of questions about equipment would be limited. Afterarriving back at the station, the shooters were going to edit the packages for air thatevening. The producer was going to help produce the evening’s newscast. He was goingto make decisions that affected what was to be seen and what wasn’t going to make itto air. Having the experience from NewsCenter 43 paid off. With professors who haveprofessional experience in the ranks prodding the students to produce a high-quality,professional product for air—and on time—meant that the time pressures were part ofthe business here in the department.Over the two days the students were there, they produced the following materialthat went to air:• A package entitled Terre Haute Man Still Flying by student reporter Kylie Gandolf.She went to the Indianapolis International Airport, about forty-five minutes fromTerre Haute, to get reaction to the airline crash in Queens, New York, that day.Kylie found a passenger who lives in Terre Haute who was praying with his fellowpassengers before his plane took off. This package fit into the newscast’s teamcoverage of the accident, the 9/11 fallout, and local reaction to events.BEA—Educating tomorrow’s electronic media professionals 66