For the thousands of viewers of Fil Products Channel 6, the live July 14 telecast featuring the iPad program of Foundation University must have seemed like one of the many local shows they had seen. After all, Fil Products’ host Neil Rio was doing his usual spiel.
But behind the cameras, that show was not just any ordinary show. Viewers were, in fact, looking at history in the making. Not only was it aired live from Foundation University’s brand new TV studio–the only one of its kind in Negros Oriental– it also marked the first time a TV show was aired live by students in the country.
Except for the show’s featured guests that evening, everyone involved in the production– from the production assistant to the floor director, cameramen, lightmen, audiomen/women, and VTR switcher–were FU broadcasting students.
Rio, who has been hosting TV news and public affairs programs in Dumaguete for over a decade, was amazed at the capability of the broadcast communication students as well as the new broadcast facility of Foundation University. “It’s new and high tech, unlike the other TV studios I’ve seen in the past,” he said.
The studio, he added, is a big step forward in broadcast instruction in Negros Oriental. “Students now have an outlet to apply what they learn in school,” he said.
Indeed, the Greyhounds TV Studio is bringing broadcast instruction in the country a few notches higher. Victor Vicente Sinco, FU vice president for finance and administration, said they built the TV studio to expand the exposure of broadcasting students, who, until the studio’s inauguration last July 12, were largely exposed to disc jockeying at DYFU FM, the university’s FM radio station.
Since its inauguration, digital facility has been the venue of two live TV shows on Fil Products Cable TV. A similar live show is being planned with SkyCable in October. The studio has also been used to record interviews with university guests like the representatives of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. and Vibal Publishing House, Inc. for documentation and publicity purposes.
Plans are afoot for launching an internet channel in the near future, which the students can operate like a real TV station.
“FU is one of probably only three universities in the country with a TV studio for broadcast instruction,” said instructor Emmanuel “Nonoy” Dadivas, who had taught in top universities in Manila since the mid-90s.
Having a TV studio, Dadivas said, gives students a very distinct advantage as they are exposed to actual real world practice and they are exposed to the terminology, behavior, language and attitude toward the course.
Dadivas’ students also share in his excitement as they don’t mind skipping lunch and going beyond their school time just to explore the wonders of digital video and audio production.
“I feel I’m learning,” said Doreen Panday, a 2nd year broadcasting student, “we are doing audio-video editing and it’s so exciting,”
Another student, Melfred Casquite, 18, said he and his classmates really feel that they are getting quite an experience. “This is a big change for me–a new journey!” Casquite, who hails from Vallehermoso town, said.