“HCTV News” returns with a new studio look

After months of studio preparation, “HCTV News” is returning to TV viewers in the valley area on Thursday, March 5 at 5:00 pm.  Herkimer College Communication Arts: Radio-Television Broadcasting students enrolled in Advanced Video Production are bringing back the weekly student produced news program, which was on hiatus last semester for set construction.

Local TV station WKTV generously donated their news set when that station began using a new set in their facilities. The entire set was transferred from the WKTV studios in Deerfield to the Technology Center studios at Herkimer College during the summer of 2014.  Since then, it has been a slow reconstruction of the set in the Herkimer College TV studio. Assistant Professor of Communication Arts Douglas Flanagan says “It was a long process, and we really started from scratch.  We had to transport the set in pieces, and then reassemble it here in our studio.  We needed to pick and choose what to use, and what not to.  We’ve painted, assembled, constructed, and added new carpeting and new logos.  Even with the debut just days away, it is still a work in progress, and we expect to make additional modifications beyond the launch of our new set.” 

WKTV Vice President/General Manager Steve McMurray said, "We are happy to play a role in training the next generation of journalists and broadcasters. The news set served WKTV so well for many years. I'm excited it will live on for many more years at Herkimer.”

Flanagan says the new set will bring a level of professionalism to Herkimer College TV studio productions that simply was not possible before. “We’ve tried to design the set as a semi-permanent installation that can be easily modified depending on the type of production.  So while you will see student produced news, you may also see the return of shows like “Play to the Camera” and the “HCTV Takeover” special, along with other student produced programming.  The idea is to have a consistent studio identity for the viewer which can still be easily modified to suit the purpose of different types of shows.”

The “HCTV News” crew includes students enrolled in the advanced video production course as well as other Communication Arts students, and Flanagan serves as executive producer. He stresses, “This is a student powered production.  They write the script, they shoot and edit, they anchor, they do weather, work the graphics, they direct, they run the video switcher, server systems, and audio. It’s their show.”

Viewers in the southern part of Herkimer County can tune into Time Warner Cable channel 97-3 or channel 99 if using a converter box.