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Television Students Demand Answers From Las Cruces, N.M., Station Managers

Posted on: Wednesday, 12 April 2006, 21:00 CDT

By Heath Haussamen, Las Cruces Sun-News, N.M.

Apr. 11--Fresh off winning several state awards, about 40 New Mexico State University students involved with the News 22 program on KRWG-TV marched on administrators' offices Monday to try to get a more definite answer on the future of the program.

Administrators have made many changes to the station and plan more, which they say will make the broadcast more professional. Students say the changes are destroying their learning lab.

The live news program produced by students was named Division II station of the year Friday by the New Mexico Associated Press, beating out several commercial stations in smaller markets including Farmington and Clovis. The station also received several other first-place awards.

The students visited the offices of University Communications Director Maureen Howard and Vice President Ben Woods Monday to show off their awards and try to nail down the future of the program.

The university recently moved oversight of KRWG from the journalism department to Wood's office and cut the program from five nights a week to four. Gadi Schwartz, co-anchor of News 22, said students believe those actions were the beginning of a "phasing out" of the program. University officials have tossed around many ideas, including hiring professional stringers instead of using student reporters and prerecording the show instead of airing it live.

But Schwartz said the awards are proof that the students are producing a successful, professional program.

The students marched from Milton Hall to Howard's office next to Dairy Queen on Triviz Drive, chanting "What you gonna do with News 22?"

Schwartz asked Howard about the future of the program.

"You raised the bar for us," he said. "We've met that professional level, we're exceeding that professional level, and now we're setting the bar," he said.

Howard congratulated the students many times, and said the university plans to conduct a market study before deciding the future of the news program. She said the decision will be based on the market study and "what the consumer needs."

Schwartz pushed for an answer by Friday, but Howard said a study will take time.

The students then marched across campus to Woods' office. He did not meet with them, but agreed to attend the May 9 meeting of the student broadcasters club.

Schwartz and Camille Cordova, vice president of the student broadcasters club, said that's part of the problem -- major changes have been made during breaks and in between semesters, when fewer students are around. Cordova called for answers now.

"This is a big deal," she said. "This is where we get our experience. This is where we learn."

Schwartz said public television should not be about market research.

"PBS is about giving back to the community," he said.

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To see more of the Las Cruces Sun-News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.lcsun-news.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, Las Cruces Sun-News, N.M.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: Las Cruces Sun-News

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