MTSU STUDENT NEWS STATION MAKING REAL-WORLD IMPACT

By Hunter Russell

          MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee State University’s student run news station, which is part of the MTSU Center for Media Innovation, is making a real-world impact for the students involved.

          MT10 is MTSU’s completely student-run news station, and it’s getting the results educators strive for. Student after student are finding jobs in their field, and the experience they gained with MT10 is a main reason. The students train using all the same equipment the professionals use. They even produce live newscasts multiple times a week. The newscasts are textbook newscasts, and they feature current, timely local stories from Murfreesboro and the surrounding Middle Tennessee areas. They also have full weather and sports reports during the show.

          There are also job possibilities within MT10 in the Marketing Department. It is a completely self-sustaining operation and a crown jewel of the School of Media and Entertainment at MTSU. Michael Ward is one of the producers for MT10, and he’s soon to be one of the success stories from MT10.

            “The program is very in depth and they have jobs for everything from camera work, to production and even talent on camera,” Ward said.

         Ward will be moving to Michigan after graduation this December and starting his first job as a news producer, directly out of MTSU. Ward was one of the main producers for the live MT10 newscasts that air Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. The show airs live at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 10 on Comcast in Murfreesboro, and worldwide on a live stream on their website, www.mt10news.com. The stream is completely free and works best with a high-speed Internet connection.

          Ward was responsible for making sure every aspect of the newscast was in order. Starting hours before show time, Ward and the other producers prepared scripts, checked equipment, and prepped the talent. He even made sure to check run times for the evening’s programming. They have to abide by FCC rules and stay on time. Ward is very proud of the program and all that he and MT10 have accomplished.

            With another successful student jumping from the college ranks directly into the multimedia journalism field, MTSU’S claim to have the best mass communication college only grows stronger.

            “MT10 taught me so much,” Ward said. “I just feel like it’s a major part of where I am today.”

           Many former success stories from the school line the walls of the John Bragg Communication Building, and perhaps another plaque isn’t too far away.

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