Loyalist students team up with TVCOGECO for municipal election show

Tony Grace from CTV Barrie, gives hosts Greg Murphy and Shelden Rogers, election night hosting advice. Photo by Erin Stewart.

By Suzanne Coolen

BELLEVILLE – TVCOGECO in Belleville is teaming up with Loyalist College journalism and TV New Media students to produce a live television show on election night.

The show will provide live and up-to-the minute results, interviews and expert analysis from the municipalities of Belleville, Prince Edward County and Quinte West.

Scott Meyers, senior manager of programming and community relations at TVCOGECO, said that this show is a first for the Bellville station and a great opportunity for students.

“Local television is truly about partnerships and opportunities, and approaching the Loyalist Journalism and TV New Media students to provide the hosting and reporting, I felt was a natural partnership and a great opportunity for the students,” he said.

“When I broached the subject with the College professors in the early summer they were extremely excited and knew this opportunity was going to be a huge learning environment for their students. I have had the opportunity to meet the on air team and am so impressed with their professionalism and their enthusiasm. Municipal elections only come around every four years and I look forward to working with the students and know that our combined efforts will result in an pretty impressive program.”

Kathleen Bazkur, Loyalist’s acting dean of the School of Media, Arts and Design, said this show is beneficial to the community.

” In terms of our students, journalism and TV New Media, the Behind the Ballot coverage is so important. It brings the issue  of the municipal elections home and have to have students demonstrating their outcomes in a way that also benefits the community through information and great communication is truly our ideal line of work.”

Journalism student Shelden Rogers is one of the hosts for the show. He says that he is excited about the project and preparing for it has got him much more interested in municipal politics.

“It has been an amazing experience so far and has made me realize how important municipal issues are to residents. I am excited for the responsibility of informing the public on election night. This stuff really does matter.”

In addition to the TV show, 91x FM Radio and QNet News will be providing election coverage from the newsroom starting when the polls close.

Andy Clarke, professor of radio journalism at Loyalist, tells us what listeners can expect when they tune into 91X radio on election night.

Behind the Ballot will air beginning at 8 p.m. on October 27, on cable 4 in Belleville.

Training today: Tony Grace from CTV Barrie teaching Loyalist students how to do election coverage #QuinteVotes2014 pic.twitter.com/egdPUkqxPv

— TVC Belleville (@TVCBelleville) October 4, 2014