LVTV has 'Eye' on local program

photo by Amy Babin

Junior Nathan Baca, the talent, waits while Don Pollock, professor of communications, adjusts the lighting and gets ready to go on the air for the new ULV newscast ,"Eye on La Verne." "Eye on La Verne" will broadcast on La Verne's community channel, LVTV 3 every Tuesday and Thursday. Every two weeks a new episode will be featured.

by Amber McLaughlin
Staff Writer

"Eye on La Verne," started by junior Nathan Baca, is a news show broadcast on La Verne's community television, LVTV 3.

"Ever since I was a freshman my goal was to produce a newscast at the University of La Verne, but (communications professor) Don Pollock wanted to wait until I had taken advanced television classes," he said.

Last year, Baca asked seniors Erin Coleman and James Morrison if they would be co-producers and anchors for the show.

Students in TV Special Projects and Senior Seminar agreed to be reporters, camera operators and editors.

There are other students volunteering to be a part of the project including Edna Becerra, Veronica Perez, Bryan Smith, Agustin Avalos, Rene Luna and Nya Center.

"Eye on La Verne" aired for the first time Feb. 26 from approximately 8:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. The same show will air on Tuesdays and Thursdays for two weeks consistently.

According to Pollock, LVTV had newscasts years ago. The show, however, featured more about the community, and less about students.

"The good thing about 'Eye on La Verne' is that it covers a wide variety of events on campus," Pollock said. "The students need to work more efficiently, and as the show grows, there's a possibility it could be an ongoing thing."

The first show featured the music department's brand new grand piano, the poetry slam for Black History Month, which took place Feb. 13, Singled Out on Feb. 12 and a segment shot at Dailey Theater.

For sports, LVTV captured highlights of women's softball and basketball games, as well as men's baseball and basketball games.

Morrison, who has experience with sports broadcasting for KULV, decided to participate for his senior project.

This project is a stepping stone to what he wants to do after graduating.

"I believe the first show went well because the games were exciting and appealing to the viewers, and overall the show did a good job at grabbing the viewers' attention," said Morrison.

Coleman works for ABC news affiliates and likes the idea of "Eye" as well.

"When I heard Nathan needed a co-producer with experience, I agreed to do it right away," she said.

Since Coleman is doing this for her senior project also, she takes it seriously, putting a lot of time and effort into it.

"I was very impressed with how well the first show went. There are things we need to work on, but overall I felt good about what we accomplished," Coleman said.

Coleman will be graduating in May and will need to find a replacement.

Baca said the first broadcast "was a very touching day to me because the dream I had in September 1999 had finally come alive."

The students would eventually like more people to watch the newscast when they have more experience, possibly by playing it in the Student Center.

Their target audience is students and La Verne residents.

A new episode is scheduled to air Tuesday and will rerun continually for two weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays.