NDSU media propose a collaborative future

Student leaders of NDSU media organizations will write a proposal asking to converge the talents and resources of three separate news entities under one banner.

The leaders of Bison Information Network, KNDS Thunder Radio and The Spectrum met this summer to discuss how their organizations can work together. They have decided to begin writing a proposal to be presented to the Media Advisory Board asking for resources they can use together.

Ryan Nelson, the general manager of Bison Information Network, Jeff Opgrand, the general manager of KNDS radio and Linda Vasquez, the Editor-in-Chief of The Spectrum, will meet again in September to begin drafting the proposal.

“The three of us together [will] write a proposal and show them what we want for the future, for the media and for this campus,” Vasquez said.

Nelson says the proposal is about getting students the support they need.

Each individual will formulate a list of objectives and goals for the proposal that will be discussed when they regroup.

Vasquez says one long-term goal is a new unified media building on NDSU campus. The media production hotspot would house all media endeavors. Students could gather there and easily work between the three entities.

“We don’t want them to feel like they can only be part of one organization,” Vasquez said.

Ideally the student leaders would want a three level building where each entity could have its own space, but still be close to each other.

Nelson says working between organizations would aid students in deciding which media branch they want to pursue as well as preparing him or her for a converging media world after college.

“Students can say not only do I have experience in one field, but I have experience in all three. Students getting experience in radio, television and newspaper will make you a great candidate,” Nelson said. “Give students an opportunity where they will really find out what they want to do…branching out from there into which entity you want to pursue in the media.”

For example Opgrand, who is studying English and economics, said it was a fluke that he ended up working in broadcast radio. Now that he has had the experience he said he considered a career in journalism that he might not have before.

According to Vasquez this common location would also decrease the competition between organizations.

“In the past years the board [MAB] has seen that we are competing against each other and we didn’t really want that,” Vasquez said. “We hope by showing them that we are unified we will gain more budget and evenly distribute it between the entities.”

Nelson also says by combining organizations the current budget would stretch farther because fewer resources would be needed.

Another idea the three student leaders have is a sports panel before each Bison game. A reporter from each organization would be present to discuss the game, Vasquez said.

Brad Jones, the advisor for Thunder Radio, approached Nelson asking about BIN and KNDS doing a sports show before Bison games. Nelson says he was responsive to the idea, but suggested that The Spectrum become involved as well.

Nelson says the show would be filmed in the SUTV News studio and be broadcasted live on SUTV Channel 84 and KNDS Thunder Radio channel 96.3 across campus.

“A bunch of guys talking sports on Saturday mornings,” Nelson said.

According to a Facebook poll 4 of 5 participating students voted that the sports panel would be a good idea.

Nelson says another collaborative project the leaders want to work on is a “supersite” planned for next year. The newspaper, T.V. station and radio station could post all news bits under the banner of NDSU Media.

“Potentially one website, NDSU Media. Students, staff, parents and the community can drop in and see what’s going on,” Vasquez said.

“I think [students] would prefer it, Opgrand said. “It be the easier option to access it.”

According to Nelson a website is a resource all three organizations have been competing for. Together the three entities would have enough resources to produce a supersite, but not alone.

A practical example would be the news coverage of a concert in Fargo, Vasquez said.

The Spectrum could report on the event and provide pictures. SUTV News could film parts of the concert and KNDS could provide audio bites all for the supersite. Nelson added that the entities could pass on story ideas to each other as well.

“The point of all three organizations is to get information across campus to reach students. So if one entity has a great story it may as well share it with the others so more students can hear more about what’s going on, on this campus,” Nelson said.

Working together may open up new opportunities to the news teams according to Opgrand.

“We could get higher profile interviews, Opgrand said. “The mayor of Fargo may not be interested in being interviewed by KNDS, but if he was interviewed by KNDS, The Spectrum and The BIN simultaneously, he may be more inclined.”