A news magazine program produced by UT Knoxville journalism and electronic media students will begin an eight-week run Saturday, March 7, on WBIR-TV Channel 10.
“UT Today” will air on the NBC affiliate at 1 p.m. on Saturdays through April 25. The 30-minute news magazine program has three sections: news, features and sports. Stories focus on UT Knoxville or provide a UT perspective on national and international news.
This spring “UT Today” will have a special focus on the economy. Shows one to eight will closely follow the impact of the worsening economy on the Knoxville community. The first program will feature student loans and internships. Other stories cover topics such as student housing, the ash slide problem, recycling mania and troubles students have in keeping up with their New Year’s resolutions.
“UT Today” also will closely follow athletic developments at the University of Tennessee. The first program will bring reports on Pat Summitt’s 1,000th win, UT students’ participation at the Super Bowl and construction on Neyland Stadium.
The show was started 14 years ago by Sam Swan, a professor in the School of Journalism and Electronic Media. Swan says the program provides advanced students with a great opportunity to develop their journalistic skills.
“Many students in the class who have served as reporters, videographers and producers have gone on to great jobs at television stations throughout Tennessee and the region,” Swan said.
WBIR-TV provides the airtime to UT for the show each Saturday afternoon. Students in a UT media sales class sell advertising time for the news magazine, and proceeds are used to offset the expenses of the program.
The School of Journalism and Electronic Media is one of four schools that make up the College of Communication and Information at UT. The college offers several undergraduate majors, two master’s degrees, and is home to the one of the oldest doctoral programs in communication and information in the southeastern United States.