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NMU TV production program gives students practical experience

One of the great pleasures we enjoy at The Mining Journal both as working journalists and residents of Superiorland is following the activities of students in our local schools. The area is blessed with a plethora of bright, motivated kids doing all kinds of interesting things. As a result, we’ve brought untold numbers of interesting stories and photo packages to our readers over the years, dealing with both academic and sporting activities.

And we haven’t overlooked the young adults on the campus of Northern Michigan University. Such was the case late last week as Mining Journal readers were treated to the story of NMU students who are learning valuable skills while providing a service to followers of NMU hockey.

It’s called media production and what it is, in a nutshell, is technical support streaming NMU hockey games as well as operating the videoboard at the Berry Events Center at NMU. Eric Smith, director of broadcast and audio visual services at NMU, helped put the sports broadcasting program into motion. He said in the Journal story on the matter that it was immediately popular with students.

“Essentially, we began with a single camera, and we would just watch the hockey game, but the more we talked about it, the more we felt that this was an opportunity to do more than that, and integrate this in with our curriculum here at the university because we teach broadcasting,” Smith said. “When we announced to students that we had this opportunity, we instantly filled up the spots. They all wanted to be a part of it. So, the trick has been to provide enough experiences for the students that are interested.”

What might be called the nerve center of the program is a cinder block room at the Berry known as the “bunker,” where students in headsets sitting before consoles coordinate things.

The viewing experience, both live and at home, is enriched, in terms of video and supporting graphics. The students, for their part, gain the kind of resume entry that employers are looking for.

This is exactly the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that is so valuable in today’s competitive world. Ask any employer and they will likely tell you that students with practical experience on their resumes have a distinct advantage over those who don’t, in terms of getting hired.

We applaud Smith and the many others involved in this very successful program.

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