Senior Project Proposal

As I've said before in my career is sort of up in the air right now. I'm not sure if I want to work in TV or radio, but I do know that I would like to move towards the entertainment/producing side of the business rather than news. I can do news, but it's not where my heart lies.

I want to work my television producing as well as talent skills. I want to work on my radio DJ skills as well as creating professional and exciting promos for Titan Radio. Here are my proposed ideas:

Telvision Producer

• Produce and execute at least one clean, exciting show that has great audience appeal and flows from block to block.
• Complete this show this semester, as to include in on a television resume tape.
• Complete this show in time to enter it into a local college broadcasters competition, such as the PAB or PCTVA.

Television Reporter/Talent

• Produce, write, and report at least 2 compelling, interesting, and topical packages for The County Line this year.
• Complete these packages this semester, as to include them on a TV resume tape.
• Complete these packages in time to enter into a local college broadcasters competition, such as the PAB or PCTVA.

Radio Promotions Creator

• Create no less than 3 exciting, clean, and professional radio promos for different activities on campus.
• Create promos for Titan Radio, The County Line or other organizations on campus.
• Will coordinate with Program Director Tandi Lane to find appropriate promos
• Complete promos in time to enter in competitions.

Radio Disk Jockey

• Create a clean, professional and exciting radio resume tape to submit to commercial stations for job applications.
• Perform DJ shifts with enthusiasm and professionalism and aircheck them for resume tape.
• Prepare resume tape this semester to have ready for job applications after the holiday break.

All of these projects will be on-going due to preset radio and television participation, but the TV Producer goal will be known a week before the show is set to air so that appropriate preparation can take place. All of these projects should be completed, if not edited as well, by the end of the Fall semester 2004.

My Week in Broadcasting, ba ba bum!

This week in broadcasting has been pretty good! The County Line meeting went very smoothly and we got a lot accomplished. We had enough content just at the news meeting on Monday to PERFECTLY time out the rundown. That's a good feeling, especially right at the beginning stages of producing.
I am shooting a package tomorrow about the closing of Ralph's Golden Dawn in New Castle. Ralph's is a grocery store that has been open since my grandma was younger than me. She's been shopping their ever since and it's the people like her that will really miss this local shop. I'm going to talk to Ralph and see just what his retirement will mean to the community. I think it will be a good package! Check it on Thursday night at 7:30 on WCN.
It's also an aircheck week for both the Radio DJs and Newscasts, so I'm going to try to have good broadcasts both times. You gotta lead by example, righit?

My career goals are still where they always are- Somewhere in talent/entertainment stuff or in producing. I really live by the motto of "if you want something done right, do it yourself." Sometimes that makes me feel like a control freak, but I'd rather do something exactly how I want it then be disappointed in someone else. But that's where you have to trust your coworkers. I'm going to try to get a part-time job next semester so that will hopefully lead into something bigger once I graduate.

I found an article saying that Conan O'Brien will take over The Tonight Show once Jay Leno retires in 2009. That's a pretty big jump for good ol' Conan! I love his show, but I'm not really sure how moving him to the Tonight Show will make more sense than just moving Late Night up an hour. I guess you gotta go with the reputation of Tonight Show, though. Good job, Conan!

Rough and Tumble Week

Rough and tumble is the theme of the week. That last few days have been very busy and they will continue to be busy this week. I've had musical rehearsal every night this week, both singing and dancing, I am choreographing the Westminster Dance Team with the beautiful and always-busy Tandi Lane and we had auditions for that last night and again tonight. It's fun. Choreographer auditions for Dance Theater are this Sunday and I haven't even begun to work on my number! So much dancing this week!

I'm a little nervous for The County Line this week. Everyone, including myself, was completely brain dead at the meeting on Monday, so as of 1:51pm on Wednesday I haven't completed the rundown. Oops? Haha. We'll get it all squared away! The staff is GREAT this semester!

This week in broadcasting was very usual to what I normally do. Pat & Megan in the Morning on Monday, Radio shift today from 12-2. I'm missing my Friday shift to go home for many appointments, but Poodle has me covered. I'm a little unsure as to what I want to do for my senior project. I have a TON of options that I could choose, but I can't think of one off the top of my head. I think a meeting with Weaver is in order!

Looking towards my career I still am pretty sure that I want to go more towards the entertainment end of broadcasting. I LOVE performing- which you can easily see by my involvment in theatre and dance, but I love producing as well. News is something that I think I'm good at, but it's not really something I want to make a career out of... Not too exciting.

IWantMedia.com says that Mark Burnett, the creator of Survivor and The Apprentice, is looking to start a reality show with Martha Stewart after she gets out of jail! They say it won't focus on HER as much as her knowledge of cooking, crafts and general home-body things. What's so different from her old show?

Blogging will make you blind?!

This week has been crazy as always in the world of Westminster Broadcasting. I edited my flood package in just under 2 hours, which is good considering I was constantly being interrupted. I think it turned out really good for my first REAL news package. It's a little dated, but the package in itself is nice.

The County Line starts tomorrow... I'm kinda nervous because it's the first one of the year and we have a lot of new staff members. No sweat, though... everyone's really dedicated and excited! We'll have to see how it turns out.

I'm going to have to craft my senior project idea ASAP so I can start working on it. I have a few ideas, but I'm not exactly sure what I want to do. I've been updating the Radio News website, so there's a few options with that, but I'm probably going to find something that's a little easier- something I already do anyway.

On a personal note, I got a pretty big part in the musical this year! We're doing "Kiss Me, Kate" and I got the part of Paul, who is the assistant to the lead guy, and I get to sing a REALLY cool jazzy song called "Too Darn Hot." It's a show stopper *sunglasses face* I'm nervous to sing in front of everyone! Looks like I'll have to do some convincing acting! Haha.

Looking at IWantMedia.com, I found an article called Blogging Off Daily Can Make You Blind which I thought was amusing. It talked about how blogging is a new form of journalism and a lot of people are getting in to it. I guess out Capstone class is ahead of the trend!

My Career Goals

Check it!

Short Term
I'd like to get a job in local radio right out of college. I think I'm going to start applying to places after Winter break. This semester I'm really dedicating myself to my extracurricular activities like dance theater and the musical, but this might be my last chance to do anything like that again. I think working in a market like Pittsburgh, which has an ADI in the low 20s, is very realistic and attainable. There are also several job openings in Youngstown, which is a lower ADI, but definitely reachable as well. I'm not ruling out the possibility of working in TV, but there's not much besides news in this area... until I move.

Long Term
I'm probably going to move out of here as soon as I get the funds and a good job in a larger market. I'm looking to work in DMA/ADI 1 in NYC cos that's always been a place I want to live. I visited Chicago this summer and it was really great, too. I'm not opposed to moving. I actually already know several people living in the NYC area and wouldn't have to be completely on my own if I packed my bags. My dream job would be to work at MTV as a VJ or news reporter. I think it's something that I can work my way into. I'd much rather do entertainment stuff, even entertainment news, rather than be on the 11 o'clock news, y'know? If I could work on a TV show that would be really great, too. Maybe follow in WC alum Tim Kaiser's footsteps? He's produced Seinfeld and Will & Grace... not too shabby. One step at a time, though!