Students lean the ins and outs of the broadcasting industry at RAM-TV 19

The sets have been built, the shows are in productions and now the folks at RAM-TV-19 are looking for you to help even out the equation.With a new school year, students in the Mass Communications Department have lined up in droves to put what they are learning in class on the small screen. “It’s amazing to me,” said Winston-Salem State University’s Television Production professor Todd Davis about the participation from the students with Ram-TV. Davis, who has been a professor at WSSU for four years, majored in Mass Communications while in college, used his video production skills to get his first job as a creative services director for a local television station in Wilmington. While there he produced many television projects for public television, corporate television, and public access television. The station, located in Hall-Patterson, room 209 is the third studio Mr. Davis has worked in. Prior to working in the Ram television studio, Mr. Davis received corporate video training for Sara Lee and he also worked for a public access television studio for community access.Ram-TV, is produced, directed, and viewed by students of WSSU. The purpose is to give students the opportunity to produce television programming and to have it viewed by their peers and to receive feedback from their fellow classmates. It provides students with experience they probably might not receive in their first entry- level job. “I am very impressed with the student participation. Both mass communications majors that produce and others who appear on the channel. It takes a lot to produce,” he said. The idea behind Ram TV came via Dr. Brian Blount, Chairperson of mass communication developed the vision of Ram-TV because of his desire for students to have a campus television station. So far this year the stations has produced 13 original half hour shows per week.The students also receive support and guidance from chief engineer Baxter Griffin, TV coordinator Dr. Abhijit Sen, and director of video and class technician Richard Edwards. When asked about his involvement with Ram-TV, Mr. Davis had this to say: “The students handle all of the responsibilities. Mr. Griffin and I serve only as advisors.”As for the future of Ram-TV, Mr. Davis is quite optimist that as long as there is student involvement the station will find is niche.”Continuation of student production, campus events, maybe even a movie.” A mass communications club video is to help students develop their portfolio. Not only does Ram-TV entertain, it can also educate and inform. In five years, Mr. Davis said he could picture Ram-TV “On 24 hours a day with all types of campus and community programming being aired. Such as daily news, talk shows, entertainment shows, live athlete events and whatever else students can come up with.””I’d love to hold a Ram-TV Crew alumni reunion five years from now, to see where the students are and what kind of jobs they hold. I expect big things.”