Journalism/mass communications (JMC) program students at Olivet College in Eaton County have more than 700 square feet of new space to create and edit the news.
The new on-campus convergent media center includes an office, lobby, green room, studio and audio production space for the Olivet’s radio station, WOCR-FM 89.7.
The college has had a radio station since 1975, but didn’t have enough central space for other media outlets such as print. To create the needed space for the expanding program, the college renovated old classrooms and divided the media space according to type of media.
“It’s designed to be a place where all the media can work together,” says Program Director Gary Smith, adding that the evolving face of media requires students to understand all media. “It’s a whole different world and that’s why we try to explain that you can no longer just be a newspaper writer. You have to have video, radio, etc.”
The renovations were completed in the fall of 2008. The JMC program also received new video equipment and smart technology.
Source: Gary Smith, Olivet College JMC Program
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
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