When students enter the LTV room, they immediately get started on their morning rituals. First, the script has to be written, including the weather, the lunch menu, any Raider sports’ activities, and any other happenings at Leonardtown High. Next, the camera and mics are set up and the anchors bring the script to life. Once the broadcast is recorded, it is loaded up on Pinnacle and the editor cuts out all the mispronunciations, the outbursts, and the goofs that the camera picked up. Once the broadcast is edited and finalized, it is placed on the S drive so it’s available to every classroom in LHS.
It’s a simple process, but often times it can be very difficult and may take a lot longer than it should. On an ideal day, it takes the LTV crew 30-40 minutes to get from the script to an edited, polished broadcast. On most days, a broadcast takes just about two periods to complete. LTV is a class only scheduled for only one period, so there is definitely a dilemma.
As a former LTV crew member, I can tell you that the biggest problem is the computer. LTV is deeply dependent on it’s technology, and, to put it frankly, the technology is outdated. The wi-fi goes out occasionally, stopping the script writer in his or her tracks. The camera goes bonkers more than it should, stopping the broadcast from being recorded, but the computers slowing down or becoming unresponsive is the biggest and most frequent problem. “The computers crash at least twice a week”, says Tatiana Kekoc, a current LTV crew member. “[To fix an error] it would take about 20 minutes, and by that time it’s difficult to finish and get the LTV episode on the air on time.”
All of LTV’s members can form a chorus, singing grievances about the studio’s computer. “Usually there is one or two errors everyday, sometimes they aren’t severe but some are very frustrating.” Julie Bennett adds. Daniel Lathrope compares the computer to “a car that has trouble not breaking down.” The sluggishness isn’t the only problem. Some files can get lost, and the computer’s memory fills up almost once a week. “Often times, the footage will seem to be lost in an infinite void of random files.” Daniel continues.
LTV members can now rest assured, the news program is getting a new computer that will hopefully be in service by the start of the next school year – sorry seniors! Currently, the computer is in LHS computer specialist Joey Rawlings’ office awaiting a few software downloads.
“The 2009 model [currently in the LTV studio] is not designed for video capturing and editing, but the new 2015 model is more than able and capable of recording and editing.” Joey adds. Lagging during editing or just about any task would be a regular occurrence on the older computer, but on the newer computer, the editing process may take a whole of 10-15 minutes, including the time to render the video. As far as memory issues, the new computer is well prepared, bragging about a 2 TB hard drive vs a 500 gig hard drive. Joey says the new computer is slightly above par when computers in the Tech Center, which makes it hard not to be excited for the new computer’s arrival.
A special thanks is in order for Mrs. Montgomery, Leonardtown’s principal, who made our problems in the studio a top priority and invested in the computer, bettering the process for young journalists in our school. We thank you for the donation; the LTV program will improve drastically because of it.
