Talking about TV

Campbell is interviewed by BU student Joe Fisher.

Not all television stars spend most of their time in front of the camera.

Television executive and Bloomsburg alumna Rebecca Campbell returned to campus in February to share her insights into the future of her industry.

Campbell, president of the ABC-Owned Television Stations Group, is responsible for the company’s local TV stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno. Based in Burbank, Calif., she also oversees other businesses within the group, including ABC National Television Sales, The Live Well Network and the syndicated series, “Live with Kelly and Michael.”

She gave an evening lecture and met with mass communication students and did a television interview the next morning. Her insights include: 

• The local TV market is relevant. For example, in some markets, local morning shows are competitive with network offerings.
• It's all about the content. Television was once largely  dependent on ad revenue. Today, the revenue streams are more disparate with licensing fees coming from outlets such as Netflix and Hulu.
• A bit of advice for ambitious students: Love the job you have — opportunity will follow.
• The most important qualities for success: intelligence, passion and integrity. And "without integrity, the other two don't matter."

A 1983 BU graduate with a dual major in journalism and political science, Campbell began her broadcasting career as a college student working on a local teen magazine show at KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh. Campbell previously served as president and general manager of WABC-TV, New York, and president and general manager of WPVI-TV, Philadelphia. She joined WPVI-TV as program director and also held programming and production positions at WFMZ-TV, Allentown, and WGAL-TV, Lancaster.

Students to discuss D.C. experience

The 10 Bloomsburg students who participated in The Washington Center Inaugural Seminar in January will discuss the experiences and what they've learned on Wednesday, March 6, at 6 pm in Andruss Library, Schweiker Room.

The participants are, from left: Mathew Sullivan, Abigael Moser, Jimmy Mowumbi, Tykirra Robinson, Spencer McHugh, Robin Segale, Samantha Smith, LaDeshia Maxwell, Olivia Miller and Matthew Kenny.

Students Jimmy Muwombi and Matthew Kenny were quoted in USA Today and  highlighted on C-SPAN (Muwombi at 39:30 and Kenny at 53:10).

How big did you want that playground?

Mat Parsons, a freshmen psychology major at Bloomsburg University, asks children what they'd like at Kidsburg.

Nearly 20 Bloomsburg students spent a morning with children at Central Columbia Elementary School to ask what features they'd like to see in the new Kidsburg at Bloomsburg Town Park. The Bloomsburg University students became involved through the Center for Community Research and Consulting and education professor Michael Patte.

The original Kidsburg was ruined in the 2011 flood. The new Kidsburg will be located on higher ground at the park. Volunteers steering the construction of the new park hope to start building in June. Learn more about the park at www.facebook.com/groups/kidsburg or www.kidsburg.org.

Science, old school style

When it comes to technology in the labs. Bloomsburg has tons. But there's nothing like the tactile coolness of old science stuff. A recent project for the STEM Magnet project took me into the physics department supply closets to photograph some objects for some sleek, high-key art.

Technical notes: These photos were taken fast with a Panasonic LX5 with just room and window light and a large white sheet of paper. Colors and exposure were shifted a lot to compensate for the mixed color temperature of the lighting. An advantage of small sensor pocket cameras is that that have a very large depth of field, which is very helpful when working close to objects like this. I've used both the Panasonic LX5 and the Olympus XZ-1 and personally, I give the edge to the Panasonic because the controls seem more intuitive to me. (Click on any image to make it larger.)

Hands say so much

If you take Wikipedia's word for it, 93 percent of how we communicate comes from our body language, our expressions, and our tone of voice. Seven percent comes from the words themselves. From what I've seen, that's especially true in the classroom, where professors communicate so much through movement, intonation and particularly, gestures.

In the top photo French professor Nathalie Cornelius brings her hands to her ears, telling the students something very specific ... she's listening and it's their turn to talk. (I've frozen the moment here, but the consistency of this gesture and it's specific meaning makes the back and forth interaction both fun and fast.)

In the second photo management professor John Okpara's hands literally grab student's attention. (We recently had videographers on campus and they did a shoot in Okpara's class. Afterwords one of them said he would have liked to just sit and join the class.)

In the third photo exceptionalities professor Deborah Stryker naturally uses her hands to communicate in a sign language class ... but in this discipline, facial expressions take on great importance as well.

Even in traditional classrooms ... even without high-tech aids ... great professors engage students' senses. They use sight as well as sound. And gestures as well as words. The hands have a lot to say.
—EGF.

Map matters

Even in this age of pervasive computer, tablet and cell phone screens — if you put a bunch of geographers together and raise a question ... they'll still reach for a map. It's semester's end and students are about to discuss their research projects. But before the talks begin, students and faculty have a discussion, a question comes up. Technology abounds in the department. But there's something special about the traditional tools that you can hold, touch, feel. Out comes a map — a magnificent oversize document that measures in feet (yards even) rather than in inches. Here Jennifer Whisner, assistant professor of environmental, geographical and geological sciences, is flanked by students as they check the map. —EGF

The gentle way

Most students at BU know Jack Rude as an accounting professor. 

A few know him as sensei. 

Rude has practiced the art of judo since 1961 and advised Bloomsburg's Judo Club since 1998 (with just a few years off for the remodeling of Nelson Field House). 

Two evenings a week during the semester Rude and about a dozen students move into the wrestling room to practice. 

There's no cost to the students beyond the uniform and sweat equity.

While it may appear to be rough and tumble, judo translates literally as "the gentle way."

"The founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano, was looking for a lifetime sport," says Rude, who is a level 1 certified coach with the U.S. Judo Association. "This is a martial art you can fully practice without hurting anybody." 

The club generally competes in two tournaments a year, the Liberty Bell Tournament in Philadelphia and the Am-Can Tournament in Buffalo.

Photos by senior photography intern Lee Patton.