Rochester Review
January-February 2010
Vol. 72, No. 3
Story as a PDF
Departments
In Review
BROADCAST NEWS: Nora Bredes, the director of the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership, prepares for a mock interview during an introductory session for a new campus studio designed to make Rochester experts readily available to appear on broadcast news outlets. (Photo: Brandon Vick)When news producers are looking for experts to feature on their shows, they’re more likely to turn to Rochester, thanks to a new broadcast studio launched on campus this winter.
“It gives faculty members an opportunity to share their expertise on important issues of the day with as little interruption as possible to their teaching, research, and other responsibilities,” says Larry Arbeiter, associate vice president for communications.
Prior to the establishment of the studio, which is housed in Carol G. Simon Hall, faculty experts traveled to the studios of WXXI, the local public television affiliate. The new arrangement—which includes equipment operated remotely by network-trained professionals at the company VideoLink in Boston—is not only more convenient, it also puts Rochester faculty members within easy reach of producers.
“If you don’t have this capacity, you’re less likely to be called by the national media,” says Dawn McWilliams, executive director of marketing and communications for the Simon School, which took the lead with the Medical Center and Arts, Sciences, and Engineering in establishing the studio.
James Gleason ’68S (MBA), a life trustee of the University, and the Gleason Foundation gave a gift of $100,000 that helped purchase the equipment, which was designed specifically for the University’s needs. It includes a camera; a video screen that can show a variety of backgrounds, from logos to bookshelves to Rochester scenes; and satellite uplink capability.
“One of its advantages is, it’s a simple set up,” Arbeiter says. “That makes it affordable, and easy to use.”
In a series of on-campus sessions, former network news correspondent David Henderson helped faculty members in fields likely to attract media hone the skills necessary for news interviews—techniques such as keeping answers succinct and restating questions so that responses can’t be taken out of context.
“We found we have some stars we didn’t know we had,” says McWilliams.
The studio will also be used for interviews with student award winners and for video messages from President Joel Seligman. Arbeiter anticipates that the greatest demand will be for interviews with experts on social and political issues, scientific developments, and medical news.
“The real purpose is to expand our reach regionally, nationally, and internationally,” he says.
