For the first time ever, Ham Channel members’ talented work is available to anyone outside of the University campus via Internet. Fairfield’s student-run television station, the Ham Channel, has been running independently of any outside television network. But just as national broadcasting networks such as ABC, CBS and NBC offer their programming online, the Ham Channel has started doing the same for its viewers through YouTube, a popular Web site devoted to watching and sharing original videos worldwide.
The Ham Channel first created its YouTube account in spring 2007 to broadcast an interview with Joe Lieberman , which it did conjunctively with campus radio station WVOF and The Mirror. It began uploading all of its original programming around late August.
“I think [YouTube] is a great outlet because it is accessible to anyone in the world, unlike the actual Ham Channel, which is only available on campus TVs,” said David Grazynski, head of the Ham Channel.
“It’s essentially on-demand programming, and it allows the producers to promote the heck out of it on their computers to friends and family anywhere in the world,” he added.
Grazynski said that all of the shows produced are now uploaded to YouTube. After their premiere on YouTube, the shows are spread throughout the 24-hour Ham Channel programming schedule with the exception of “Into It,” a live talk show aired on Tuesday nights. The content of its programming includes news, documentary, music, comedy and more.
Frank Romano ’10 is an active member of the Ham Channel and the star of the productions “Let’s Be Frank” and “Barone Appetit.”
“I actually didn’t like [the concept of using YouTube] at first because I thought to myself, ‘Instead of just giving up on campus TV, now we’re going to go all to online and that means no more campus TV,'” he said. “I didn’t want to see us migrate to that. I was way na’ve until I realized just how great it is, because online video is the way of the future now and, it has done wonders for the Ham Channel.”
One of the added perks of YouTube is that students can finally track how many people are watching their work. The Ham Channel lacked the technology to count viewers of the channel on television, but YouTube takes care of that for them.
“People are getting hits for their individual shows upwards of a hundred, and that’s a greater viewership than they could have ever gotten on channel 64, campus TV, alone,” Romano said.
“Unlike the TV, YouTube gets instant feedback. If someone doesn’t like it, you’re gonna hear about it, you’re gonna see your views decline, or you’re gonna see you don’t have an audience for that particular program. Then you’ll know, ‘OK, I’ve gotta scrap it or change direction.'”
Will YouTube be a permanent resource for the Ham Channel?
Grazynski said he thinks so.
“I think we will be using YouTube more and more as new shows are created,” he said.
“I think that it’s been a great outlet for our programming, and I think that more and more people will start watching and getting involved,” he said. “I am really proud of everything these students have been doing so far this semester, and I look forward to the rest of the year.”
The Ham Channel can be found online at www.youtube.com/thehamchannel and www.thehamchannel.com .
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