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The Student Voice or the I e rSi t\' Of ( cntr<<l 01 \ lahoma Since I 003
Vista moving newsroom after historic 40 years Caleb McWilliams and Nelson Solomon I ivla II i-iters
After 4o years in room 107 of the Communications building, The Vista will be moving into a shared newsroom this week with UCentral, the broadcast news program, across the building into room 231. Dr. Rozilyn Miller, incoming chair and current assistant chair of the mass communication department, said the shared newsroom is something the faculty and staff of the department have talked about since the journalism and communications departments merged four years ago today. "I just think it's incredibly cool that the exact date of the four-year anniversary is the exact date that we start the move to converge the newsrooms," she said. "I am so glad that we were able to make this happen this year." Dr. Terry M. Clark, chair and interim Vista adviser, emphasized the change was for the good of the students. "This improvement will help our UCO students, in print and broadcast, continue to be the pick of the crop of journalism graduates among state media," Clark said. "Our programs have long been known for the quality of our students' educations and training at newspapers and in TV. "As a result, our graduates populate the newsrooms of the state, and this change to keep up with changing technology will help keep it that way," he said. Clark said that The Vista and UCentral will continue to maintain their separate identities while combining efforts on the Internet. "Both programs have proud histories that our students and alumni identify with," he said. "That will not disappear, but gradually change in the face of industry demands and student needs to be adept in multiple media platforms." "It's very important that The Vista retain its student-led editorial independence, guaranteed under the First Amendment," Clark said, noting that FCC regulations put different constrains on the broadcasting program.
"We're all tremendously proud of our students. Their talent, dedication and enthusiasm is a great tribute to UCO, and very inspiring." Miller said the faculty realizes complications will arise in the transition but thinks that the opportunity to work out those stresses is "the kind of reallife experience that happens to people in their jobs." "This alliance will produce the best prepared students, not only in the state, but in the region," she said. Clark agreed: "We're like everyone else. We don't know where and how all media are going to change, and like the merger of the departments, we don't have all the answers, but we'll work them out." Dr. Pamela Washington, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said the move will help print and broadcast students get the best jobs in the industry. "My hope is that our students will be better prepared to move into employment opportunities in the world of
A conversation with former Vista adviser Dennie Hall See page
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journalism, which is changing so quickly," she said. Washington said if students aren't able to move between broadcast and web and print media, they are not going to be as competitive in the job market. "It's all about new media," she said. When Dr. Keith Swezey arrived at UCO in fall 1991, the academic broadcasting program was a separate entity from the communications department. "However, a broadcast faculty member oversaw all the operations," he said. The broadcast program essentially did the same programs they currently
do, Swezey added. "There's always been talk of bringing the The Vista and UCentral together, but I think there was a traditional resistance to combining the two, with broadcast students and print students saying, 'No, we don't want to do that,' but as time has gone on, there's been more and more talk between departments and then an official realignment when the two departments merged," he said. "We realized more and more that what we do, while it's very different, is also a lot alike," he said. "You can do a story, for print or broadcast or web, that's the attitude we have now. "Before, 10 or 15 years ago, it was two totally different industries. They did the same things in a different way, but it was just completely separate. It was that way in the commercial world and it was that way in academics." Swezey said the two of the most exciting things he has seen include the new technology and equipment the broadcast department received over the years as well as the onset of digital technology. "That [digital technology] allows you to manipulate information and images in a way that wasn't possible before. You can do a story, print it in a newspaper, put it out in a broadcast outlet and at the same time prepare for another platform, the web, which, 20 years ago, was just in its infancy," he said. The Vista, started in 1903 as a literary magazine, has since become a biweekly newspaper during the fall and spring semesters and weekly during summer semesters. When Clark became chair in 1990, The Vista was using primitive computers and was printed on campus. Under the leadership of Dr. Mark Hanebutt, faculty adviser, the paper got new computers and was eventually printed off campus at the Edmond Sun, where it is currently printed. Clark led the effort to get a full-time adviser instead of a faculty member in 1999. Under the direction of Adviser Mark Zimmerman, the newsroom See VISTA, page 4
iihertyTest at UCO 2009 Come celebrate Independence Day with fun, festive activities, fabulous food, music entertainment and fantastic fireworks! If you are looking for a fun 4th of July for the family, ParkFest 2009 is the place to be! You are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket as seating is not provided. For security purposes, please do not bring ice chests. Please do not bring pets. All events will end around 9:30 p.m.
Parkfest Schedule of Events for July 4th 5:00-8:30 p.m. Temporary Tattoos (while supply lasts Faux hair painting) 5:00-9:00 p.m. Free watermelon (served while supplies last) 5:00-9:30 p.m. Family activities: Mega Obstacle Course, Black Beard's Revenge, The Rock, Laugh and Learn Toddler Zone, Treasure Island Bounce, Turtle Time Slide, Jitterbug Swing ride 5:00-10:00 p.m. Music and Entertainment provided by Ambiance, a local band that plays a wide variety of music 5:00-10:00 p.m. Vendors: Food, Refreshments, Patriotic items 10:00 p.m. Fireworks Presentation provided by Premier Pyrotechnics
Photo by Musleh Alkathami
"Concert in the Park" was held June 25 under the direction of Ron Howell. The all-volunteer band performed marches, patriotic selections and big band melodies of the 1940s.
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"Liquid Assets" with Caleb McWilliams