Pat Janssen, a professor in the department of communication arts and the advisor for Wayne State College’s KWSC-TV, hopes to grow the program this semester by expanding the content variety, updating the equipment and spreading the word about KWSC-TV.  

“Right now, we’re in the process of kind of figuring out what we want to do for this semester,” Janssen said. “I’m trying to give a lot more ownership to the students as far as what they’re creating.”  

Janssen said he wants to continue the late-night talk show they began last year, along with some episodic television. He would like to pass his experience in writer’s rooms down to the students to teach them more about working in episodic television. Through the semester, the students will also work on sorting through films made by students in the film department. They will ensure the films are appropriate for television, and once ready, they will use the films to expand the variety of content.  

“We’ve got so many great films that have been made in our film department… I want to give those films another avenue to be shown,” Janssen said.  

Another aspect of the channel is the live broadcasting of sports. Janssen approximated the time spent live broadcasting last semester to be close to 100 hours. This semester, the goal is to build on that momentum with sports broadcasting. Students in the Sports Media Workshop will learn skills in sideline broadcasting through the semester to bring sports live to local homes.  

Long term, Janssen hopes to have the channel running 24/7 and show a wide variety of student-made content. Currently, when not airing student content, the channel shows promotional slides for the campus. By exploring episodic television, student films and more, the station will reach new heights. Students will be able to showcase many more skills in many different avenues for viewers as the station continues to grow.  

Becca Arkfeld, a senior at WSC and an electronic media major, said over the past few years, the programs gained more equipment such as cameras and a new sound board. To accomplish the semester and long-term goals, Janssen applied for grants and will continue to do so. With the money, the studio can continue to gain the equipment needed to expand. Janssen said he hopes to acquire automation software, which would give the program the chance to achieve 24/7 airtime. Automation software would allow students to record their shifts and set times to air content without having people present to press play. 

From the fall semester to the current semester, the workshops involved in the creation of content grew in student numbers. Janssen said they have 12 students in the television workshop, compared to the eight they had last semester. The growth in students involved in workshops like the television workshop and sports media workshop will allow them to do a lot more with the content of the channel. The students are also excited to see what the semester brings.  

Nathan Blizzard, a WSC senior and film major, said students learned a lot last semester through Janssen’s many experiences in the media, and he looks forward to learning and doing even more this semester.  

“With video/audio, it’s a constant learning experience,” Blizzard said. “You’re constantly learning new things. You never know it all. The industry changes so much.” 

Both Blizzard and Arkfeld said they loved the friendships made through KWSC-TV. The students involved work together often and have had many classes with each other through the years. They are excited to once again work with all the students to bring ideas to life. Blizzard said creating new content, learning different roles in the media and working with a wide range of people is a great opportunity for everyone because they are gaining new experiences.  

“The best memories are just spending time and building those friendships I have with my fellow peers,” Arkfeld said. “We’re all creative and we all love what we’re doing, so when we’re together, it’s just always fun.” 

KWSC-TV airs in Wayne and expanded through ALLO Fiber to air in areas between Wayne and Omaha. Within the next two or three weeks, the channel will have the new semester’s content on air. When flipping through the channels, make sure to check out KWSC-TV to see what fellow students are up to!  

“It’s really easy to think that Wayne State and Wayne are small,” Janssen said. “You can make it as much as you want it to be, and there’s a level of freedom with the creative outlets here that you won’t have once you get out of college, so take advantage of them. That’s my biggest piece of advice, whether you’re part of the TV station or not.”