What do students think about hip-hop music and stereotypes? Plastic surgery? The new union? UNLV journalism and media studies students are reaching beyond the Rebel Yell paper to explore campus news and culture. Fortunately, you can listen in.
Launched last spring, the student-run Rebcast programs grew out of professor Cathy Hanson's podcasting class, Exploding Radio. Some shows are just plain fun - check out Garret Heinrich and Chris Palmer's offbeat sports show - but students aren't shying away from tough topics. Last semester Lindsay Johnson's "Sex and University" tackled binge drinking and the juggling act for single moms in school. This semester the "Roving Reporter" will take a look at local and national politics.
The podcasting class is part of a drive in the Greenspun School of Journalism & Media Studies to prepare students for rapidly evolving media careers. This semester the students are expanding with video. "There will still be some specialization, but media is requiring employees to provide content in a variety of media," Hanson says. "Newspaper reporters have to blog and provide podcast interviews in addition to their print story. Broadcasters have to develop resources on station websites for listeners to explore topics in more detail."
