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By the 2010 Fall Semester, Kent State students will be able to learn more about sports production than ever before.
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication will unveil a new Sports Production major, giving students more of a hands-on television sports experience than it has in the past.
"Students should really be excited about this," said JMC assistant professor and TV2 adviser, Dave Smeltzer. "Not only will students learn in class, but they have the chance to work alongside professionals doing real games."
JMC faculty and students have been planning what the new sports production track will entail, including what kinds of classes will be available.
TV2 Live Sports Production leader, Tracy Baughman, who works for Kent State Teleproductions, says the concentration will be offered along with the current audio and video concentrations.
JMC already has a "Live Sports Production" class, but in addition to that, faculty plan to have a sports producing and directing class and two practicum classes.
"We had a great deal of interest from students. We had close to 20 students who wanted to be involved in sports production," Baughman said.
Baughman will teach some of the classes, as will Live Sports Production instructor, Paul Ditchey, and Smeltzer. Baughman has also been working with Jeff Bentley, a Monday Night Football broadcasting veteran, to develop the concentration.
TV2 Live Sports is looking to expand its coverage of Kent State gymnastics, wrestling, and volleyball games. There will be between 10 and 20 positions available to help with those broadcasts.
In addition to working for TV2 Live sports, Baughman says students will be work alongside Fox Sports Ohio professionals and do some work for Sports Time Ohio.
"Less free lance positions for Sports Time Ohio will allow more students to step up in the coming year and participate," Baughman said.
Smeltzer said he thinks the demand for live sports production classes has always been there and is excited to see where this new curriculum possibility takes TV2.
"It's a great opportunity," he said. "This is a great learning experience for the students...and can only improve the quality of TV2 Live Sports."
By Julie Loeper and Stephanie Johnstone for The Co-Lab