Journalism professor and Associate Dean Al Stavitsky opened his Mass Media and Society class lecture Wednesday with the words “Greetings from Amsterdam.”
Stavitsky was at an international media conference in the Netherlands discussing the impact of digital media on public broadcasting and, thanks to his own digital broadcast, was on time for class – halfway around the world.
Stavitsky has been recording his own video podcasts, or “Al Pods,” from the conference to be broadcast back in 282 Lillis for two lectures this week.
“It’s an extension of the work that Al and some other members of our faculty have been doing with podcasting,” said School of Journalism and Communication Dean Tim Gleason.
The video Al Pod made its debut Wednesday after being sent via e-mail to GTFs Alina Padilla-Miller and Janet Kwami at 4:00 a.m. the same morning.
Stavitsky is the first professor in the journalism school and one of the only at the University to use recorded video podcasting as part of his lectures, though he said other professors have used live two-way interactions with other locations.
“That’s distance education in the traditional sense, which has been going on for a while,” he said. “What we have is some strange new animal.”
Before leaving the country Sunday, Stavitsky said he had been planning the project since last winter when he was first invited to speak at the conference. Originally he wanted to broadcast live, he said, but the nine-hour time difference between Amsterdam and Eugene proved problematic. A taped podcast was the best solution.
Wednesday’s 29-minute video lecture included a comparative examination of Dutch and American television media, historical background of the city and an interview with a Finnish broadcast company adviser.
“I think it adds a lot to the class,” said University freshman Kelsey Trapp. She added that she has used Stavitsky’s audio podcasts most of this term, and that using both forms of podcasts is a better way to reach younger students.
University sophomore Brittany Jensen said the video provided a good international context and authenticity with Stavitsky speaking directly from Amsterdam.
“It’s interesting to see what it’s like in other countries,” she said. “In some ways it’s the same, but it’s a lot different.”
Jensen said she enjoyed the video but still preferred being able to directly interact and ask questions to Stavitsky in person.
The idea of creating a broadcast production is nothing new to Stavitsky.
“As we’ve been planning for it, it almost takes me back to my days as a TV journalist in terms of the way I’m thinking about it,” Stavitsky said. “I’m thinking about who I should be interviewing, and I’m thinking about what sorts of little video vignettes I can capture that will help tell this larger story.”
Stavitsky said the conference, which focuses primarily on public broadcasting in the international and digital context, also ties well into the subject matter of his class.
“That’s so much of what we’ve been talking about in J 201 – how is the world changing, and how that is affecting our students both as media consumers and also as people who will be journalists in the future,” he said.
To avoid spending too much of his time working on video production by himself, Stavitsky is accompanied by GTF Michael Huntsberger to handle the technical aspect of the project.
“He’ll, in effect, be my producer,” Stavitsky said.
Huntsberger, who said he had never been outside of the United States before this week, said he was not worried about the challenges of producing what is essentially a short television show on the fly in a foreign country. Huntsberger had worked extensively on other productions before working with Stavitsky.
“This is not complicated,” he said. “The only thing that’s different for me is the distance from home.”
Stavitsky said he was confident they had adequately planned for any potential technical problems, but he was more uneasy due to the large size of the video file to be sent.
“We know the concept is very sound and cool, but any time you’re involved with technology … you’re always at the mercy of the technology,” he said.
Stavitsky said he would like to continue using video podcasts in the future, and Gleason said he has been supportive from the beginning.
“I’m very interested in innovative uses of technology for education,” Gleason said. “I think this project does that. It’s bringing another part of the world and new perspectives into the classroom.”
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