Zachary Worstell
zdw001@marietta.edu
“Thank you guys for joining us for our Thursday edition of WCMO-TV, Channel 15 at 12:30 and 6:30.” said anchor Hailey Lanham as WCMO-TV wrapped up its final edition of the semester.
WCMO-TV provides news, sports, and weather for over 12,000 households in the Marietta area on Suddenlink Channel 15 and is live streamed on YouTube. WCMO-TV is written and produced by Marietta College student’s every Tuesday and Thursday with assistance from Professor Marilee Morrow.
The WCMO-TV stations gives students the opportunity to learn the roles of a TV set, improve their public speaking skills, and learn to produce and write for broadcast. One can join the production team for WCMO-TV by taking the courses MASS 123 or MASS 415 at Marietta College or by applying on Handshake.com to be a production assistant. The production assistant job also allows students to work for Marietta College’s radio stations; WMRT-FM and WCMO-FM. Students are trained for these positions by student leaders who are experienced in all fields of broadcast.
Throughout the course of the semester, students are encouraged to try as many different roles as possible to find what they enjoy and are comfortable with. Whether these roles are an on-camera personality such as anchor or co-anchor, or operating a camera or teleprompter, they all help emerge students into the world of broadcast. Participating in various different roles gives students experience in all positions of broadcast.
WCMO NewsCenter 15 also runs special broadcast. This semester the tv station hosted interviews of candidates in the Marietta area. These candidates including those running for Mayor of Marietta and for City Council.
Last year, the WCMO studio received upgrades. These upgrades included a new modern set with a fresh coat of paint and furniture. Other upgrades included new modern equipment including a new teleprompter system, new studio lighting, new studio cameras, new graphics computers, a new automation system, and new monitors for the TV station control room.
The renovations were not limited to the television station, but the radio stations received renovations too. As the WCMO-FM radio station was given an upgraded broadcasting space. Furthermore, the McKinney Media Center is adding a podcasting studio open for all students to record podcast for school projects and for experience.
These renovations were important as the McKinney Media Center has received a lot of attention from incoming classes, with many freshmen joining the journalism and broadcast fields. The Media Center looks to continue its upgrades to help better prepare students for the multi-media world as the field is ever growing.
