Case Study
Training Tomorrow’s Broadcast Leaders at Ball State University
SECTION 1
Introduction
The Ball State University: College of Communication, Information, and Media鈥檚 Unified Media Lab opened in 2013.
The mandate of the Unified Media Lab is to offer aspiring journalists and producers a hands-on, real-world environment where they can engage with industry-standard media production workflows and storytelling tools. As a creative and collaborative hub, the Lab empowers students to plan, produce, and share compelling content across a variety of platforms, including Newslink Indiana (the daily student-produced newscast), Sportslink, Daily News, WCRD Radio, and more.
Section 2
The Challenge
In recent years, the Ball State team knew that its Unified Media Lab鈥檚 video studio/production control room equipment & newsroom editorial tools were coming to the end of their useful lives.
With limited access to various camera shots and production device integrations that did not always work, it was starting to hinder creativity and limit students鈥� ability to learn and experiment with modern workflows. Ball State needed an updated and fully integrated solution that would align its teaching approach with current industry-standard technology.
Students were stuck with this single shot and a mic; that was all we had. There were a lot of different systems that had to talk to each other, and they didn鈥檛 talk to each other very well. It limited what you could do creatively.
Terry Heifetz
Senior Lecturer, Department of Media, Ball State University
Section 3
The Solution
Ball State turned to 91桃色鈥檚 end-to-end ecosystem to empower their students with the latest production technology used in real newsrooms around the world.
The new systems included 91桃色’s OverDrive automated production control system CamBot robotic camera system, Carbonite video switcher, XPression Studio graphics, Media I/O video playout/ingest server, plus its browser-based Inception News newsroom system & its browser-based Streamline Pro asset management systems.
Fun fact: Ball State was the first university to launch Ross Streamline Pro Version 12 which includes its own browser-based video editor.
The new systems have empowered students to get more creative with their productions, discover new and different ways to solve issues, and learn independently. 鈥淚nception is faster and a lot easier to learn, especially for my freshman reporters,鈥� said NewsLink Indiana student news director & managing editor, Sophie Schick.
One of the most appealing aspects of Ross equipment is that it鈥檚 a complete system. It allows students to take what they鈥檙e learning in the classroom and put it into practice. Having the opportunity to work on industry-standard equipment like Ross provides them a great foundation for once they step outside of Ball State University.
Professor Suzy Smith
Associate Professor of Media, Ball State University
Section 4
The Impact
The Unified Media Lab now boasts a cutting-edge newsroom that bridges the gap between classroom learning and industry practice.
Students are exposed to the same tools the local commercial stations use, providing them with a great foundation upon graduation.
鈥淲e have more production students than ever show up, and I have to believe it鈥檚 because they鈥檙e attracted to the equipment we have, and they want to get in and learn it,鈥� said Tim Underhill, Senior Lecturer at Ball State University Department of Media.
For Ball State, the real victory lies in the success of its students. The new production system helps ensure that every aspiring journalist and media producer leaves the program equipped with the knowledge and confidence to excel in their career.
I really like it when our students get great jobs right when they walk out the door of Ball State, and thanks to our training here, which includes the Ross ecosystem, they鈥檙e ready from day one to take a job.
Terry Heifetz
Senior Lecturer, Department of Media, Ball State University
