UMTV is the University of Miami’s twenty-four hour cable television channel, owned and operated by the School of Communication. UMTV has three programs that air weekly. NewsVision is an award-winning half-hour newscast produced twice a week, one by undergraduate students on Thursdays, and one by graduate students on Fridays. UMTV This Morning is a 30-minute live newscast that airs Friday mornings and has interviews with campus newsmakers and has an overview of sports and entertainment. SportsDesk is a half-hour sports show that airs Fridays and highlights campus sports.
This channel can be seen throughout the University on channel 24 as well as the surrounding Coral Gables community on channel 96. The cable channel provides local programming throughout the fall and spring semesters. When UMTV is not airing student programming, it airs the College Television Network. CTN airs music videos and news.
Any full-time student may volunteer to work for UMTV. Producers, writers, directors, and on-air talent are needed along with both studio and field production crews. No experience is necessary, but students must maintain a 2.5 GPA in their major and attend an initial meeting.
Although there are only a few positions for on-air talent, there are many positions to get involved with the production aspect.
Auditions are held for on-air talent shortly after the beginning of each semester. Anyone can audition.
Working on UMTV helps students to get a feel of what working in the field is like.
“I think it’s a great experience. It exposes you to the basic structure of broadcast communication,” says Nico Belha, a student who was involved with UMTV This Morning. “It is a lot of fun.”
UMTV recently had the luxury of getting new equipment.
“UMTV started to make a switch to digital,” says Professor Susan Roumelis, the Director of UMTV. “Students are getting the chance to learn on state-of-the-art equipment.”
Many of UMTV’s programs are available online on the University of Miami’s website.
A new set is currently under construction in Studio C of the Communications building. UMTV This Morning is getting a talk show-like set. It will have windows, walls, and monitors and will look a lot like a “living-room” set. “The new set in the studio is planned to be finished by the fall semester,” Professor Roumelis said.
StormFront is a weekly show that airs during Hurricane football season. They have interviews with players, coaches, and fans.
Last semester, UMTV aired a game show called UMIQ. The contestants were divided into eight groups. They answered questions that were submitted by students at UM. The winning team took home a cash prize.
Students with little or no experience may get involved with Midday Report. Students will learn to produce, direct and write as well as go live on the air with a 4-minute newscast at 1pm on select weekdays.
The Special Projects team works more intensely with the production aspect. They join with Coral Gables TV (CGTV) which is owned by the City of Coral Gables. CGTV has a new state-of-the-art truck that students can use to produce programs. They recently produced a three-hour live broadcast for the inauguration of President Shalala.
Students produce a large portion of the University of Miami’s programming, under the supervision of faculty advisors. Their programming airs from 7:00pm to 7:30pm Monday through Friday and also 11:00am to 11:30am on Friday.
For more information on UMTV or to view it’s programs, log on to www.miami.edu/com.