BUCK-iTV, Ohio State’s student-run television station, will soon become a reality after nearly two years in the making.
The original launch date for BUCK-iTV was Welcome Week 2002 but has since been pushed back to Jan. 6 because of the station’s goal to produce a high quality product for both students and advertisers, coupled with technical limitations.
“There are still so many things that need to be done before we can go on the air,” said David Plantz, a junior in communications and programming director for BUCK-iTV. “Now we know our imitations, and we have set realistic goals.”
Since last year, BUCK-iTV has made progress towards their launch date. The station gained space in the Drake Performance and Event Center with the help of Bill Hall, vice president of student affairs at OSU. The old cove room is being transformed into the office area for buckitv.com. It received the space that formerly belonged to Archie’s Bowling Alley. This area will house the television station’s main office and studios. Floor plans for that area are under development.
Equipment has been donated to BUCK-iTV from the old broadcast studio in the Journalism Building, and from the theater department’s new works laboratory.
Plantz said WOIO-TV and WUAB-TV in Cleveland even teamed up to donate an entire news set to BUCK-iTV. UNITS has contributed a large portion of the technical equipment the station will be using, as well as channel space. Local businesses are supporting BUCK-iTV through sponsorship and advertising.
BUCK-iTV received about $3,000 from Coca-Cola and will soon receive $7,000 from the Residence Halls Advisory Council.
Hall has been a vital part of BUCK-iTV’s progress. His latest efforts include working with the leadership of WOSU to build a mentoring program to ensure the support for BUCK-iTV continues once the station has started airing programming.
“We want to see the students get some academic credit and work with WOSU,” said Hall.
Hall’s vision for BUCK-iTV resembles what hospitality management has done with the Viewpoint Bistro at the Drake center, giving the students practical experience that can build resumes and provide other students with a service at the same time.
Another goal of BUCK-iTV is to provide an informative and entertaining television station to OSU and the Columbus area.
“People are interested in television. You need different types of media to get people in the know, and we’ll be providing an information service,” said Frank Sasso, a junior in marketing and BUCK-iTV’s general manager.
A primary reason to introduce student-run television to OSU is to connect the different colleges and majors found within the university.
“BUCK-iTV is student-run in every nature of the word,” Sasso said. “Every step of the way, students from all majors are going to be getting experience.”
BUCK-iTV is being run like any other business or independent television station and needs individuals to fill roles from sales and advertising to programming and technical operations, in addition to the expected on-air positions.
This will provide students with experience that is professional and businesslike, so all students involved with the station will leave with better skills in their respective future career fields.
“One of our goals is to give these students experiences that will eventually be equivalent to what a student will learn in an internship,” Plantz said. “We want students to see the ‘real world’ while they’re here, before they graduate.”
BUCK-iTV presented some programs last year through UNITS, including Undergraduate Student Government debates and the spring commencement ceremony, featuring President Bush.
After its official launch, BUCK-iTV will provide its own original programming, supplemented with material from Zilo Networks, Inc., an organization that provides MTV-style programming, including reality shows and movie reviews, to college television networks.
Plantz said BUCK-iTV will be composed of an original variety of television programs. “Bux Best Videos,” an hour-long program at noon every weekday, is comprised of music videos and a live news update at the top and bottom of the hour.
Following that program, from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m., BUCK-iTV will present “OSU Access.” This is not intended to compete with the public-access station that is already on UNITS, but it will serve as a community resource, airing VHS tapes submitted to BUCK-iTV from any student organization, academic department or OSU administrator.
The evening news will be broadcast live on BUCK-iTV each weeknight, lasting from 6-6:30 p.m. Zilo’s programming will follow the news broadcast and last until 8 p.m.
A variety of shows have been created to air during prime-time throughout the week, including “P.W.C. Explosion,” a semi-pro wrestling show; “Straight Talk Live,” a political talk show; “The Collin and Joe Show,”a comedy talk show; “Bux on Bux,” a sports talk show currently featured on OSU’s student-run radio station, the Underground; and a soap opera, created by one of OSU’s theater classes.
At first, the station will be available only to on-campus students on UNITS channel 19.
“It will start small, but we are definitely planning to have quality programming. Don’t underestimate us – you can’t stop dedicated students,” Plantz said.
