UMTV - Media Participation Project

On November 13th and 14th, I had the opportunity to observe the filming and production of the Capital News Service. Observers are able to view the broadcast from two different perspectives. On the first day I observed from the News Room itself. Its not a very large area, its approximately the size of a large lecture hall. In the middle there are two rows of Mac computers where journalists create, edit and finalize their stories for the segment that is about to be filmed. There are mini rooms branching off the main room called editing bays and there is even a make up room where the anchors prep for the filming of the show. I watched as the anchors prepared themselves. They tested sound and projection and practiced a few lines from their stories. They read off the teleprompter with grace and ease. I couldn't even tell that they were reading! Practice truly does make perfect. There was one person who would signal the anchor to be ready for the camera to shift to them. She would alternate sides and wiggle her fingers at them. It was interesting to watch the process, but not something I hadn't seen before.
The most intriguing view, for me personally, was watching from inside the control room. While there is silence in the newsroom during filming, the control room is constantly buzzing. The people in charge of switching angles, displaying headers and moving to commercials are always communicating in order for the show to run smoothly. I watched as the camera fixed angles on each anchor and even heard a few terms only control room people are familiar with. These people make sure that there is an image behind every story and that the clips run smoothly. It can be a stressful environment. They are almost like the policemen of the newsroom since they are constantly surveying if everything is functioning during the program, and if something isn't they have to relay that information into the newsroom during a commercial break.
Overall, this experience gave me a taste of what broadcast journalism is like. Next time, I would like to actually volunteer with UMTV. Volunteers are more hands on and actually handle equipment so that they can learn how things work. I plan on staying in touch with the coordinators of UMTV and hopefully, I'll have the chance to be an anchor!