UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 27, Page 5
April 15, 1993
Communication students air weekly program on TCI cable

     Winter Television (WTV), a special Winter Session project for
communication majors, has stayed in production this year beyond January and
launched a weekly half-hour news and information television program.
     The magazine-format show, called "Blue & Gold Weekly," can be seen on
TCI Cablevision, Channel 28, at 6:30 p.m., Wednesdays.
     Produced and anchored by University communication students, the show
focuses on both the campus and local community and covers a wide range of
topics from politics to sports, to music and to on-going issues and events.
     WTV is best described as a production, programming and management
practicum that has been conducted annually for the past 21 years.
     It  is specifically designed to give media-oriented students the
opportunity to gain "real life" experience in television production.
     This year is the first time WTV has attempted to extend its
programming efforts beyond the traditional, five-week Winter Session.
     Although segments were shot and produced during January and February,
the show is put together and aired on a weekly basis.
     Funding is provided by the Office of Special Sessions, with additional
support now coming in from local advertisers.
     "Within the shadow of a proposal to link the entire University with
cable television, this year's project can be considered an experiment to
find a place for student-oriented television production and programming,"
Walter Rykiel, lecturer in communication and WTV faculty manager, said.
     "Plans are being made to make WTV an ongoing official student
organization like The Review and WVUD. One possible way to help financially
support such an organization would be to produce a video yearbook for the
University," he said.
     Several students have launched professional careers from the project.
WTV alumni include Tom Mees, Delaware '72, of ESPN; Nancy Karibjanian,
Delaware '80, of WHYY; Jill Chernekoff, Delaware '77, news anchor at
WXTF-TV; and Mark DiNardo, Delaware '83,director of electronic media at the
Spectrum.
                                        -Beth Thomas