Date: Fri 24-Sep-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Channel-17-

Full Text:

NHS Channel 17 Goes "Live" For The First Time With Fairfield Hills Coverage

(with photo)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Newtown High School's Channel 17 went "live" for the first time Tuesday night

as the students presented the public forum on the redevelopment of Fairfield

Hills.

The 3«-hour production went well. About 250 Newtown residents showed up for

the program in the NHS auditorium, but Tuesday's rainy weather was blamed for

keeping others away. More than likely, many of them decided to flip on the NHS

channel instead. So just how many tuned in?

"We'd love to know, but there's not way to know," said Rich Novia, adviser of

the Tech Club which maintains, operates and controls Channel 17.

This week's live telecast was a cooperative effort between the Tech Club and

the students who are enrolled in the video production course headed by

teachers Greg O'Loskey and Kerry Hrabstock.

More than 20 students took part in the effort, handling one of three TV

cameras, or managing the complex lighting, sound and video that goes into any

live show. Junior Dan Henry was the show's producer.

"Going live presented new challenges. We took 20 students and coordinated

everyone's efforts from cameraman to video technician to camera shoots, to

running wires, to technicians, to audio... There's so much involved in putting

a live show together," said Mr Novia, a technical whiz who doubles as the

school director of security.

NHS now has a control room (also known as a head-end room), into which all

video and audio feeds are pumped. The information is then redirected to

Charter Communications cable company through modulators, before finally being

broadcast to the town.

"The benefits from this is students are learning so much. Video is one medium,

audio is one medium and computers are another medium. We're putting all those

media together in a production," Mr Novia explained.

Those who missed the live telecast will have an opportunity to view the

production Monday through Friday of next week from 7 to 10:15 pm.

Channel 17 has come a long way since it first went on the air nearly five

years ago. Those early years have been described as being "caveman-ish," but

thanks to a dedicated staff, some talented students and financial backing from

the town, the operation has evolved. For the most part, the channel provides

brief messages about school and community events. However, it also broadcasts

sporting events, talk shows and concerts. The Tech Club is hoping to televise

live football and basketball games this year.

Channel 17 is provided to the school district by Charter Communications as

part of its educational access program.