AUTV is Here to Stay

Julia Forest

Copy Editor

Lights, camera, AUTV! This semester, Assumption University is reviving the AUTV club, which is a club for students who are interested in video production, film, broadcasting, and journalism. The goal is to create a show that celebrates campus events and the Assumption community.

“Many students involved in the TV club over the years have gone on to achieve remarkable successes in both the television and film industries. I hope that for those aspiring to build a career in this field, it serves as a pivotal stepping stone. However, even if you don’t plan to pursue this as a career, the club is still a fun place to create memories of your time at AU,” Laurie Palumbo, Assumption’s Media Specialist who is also involved with Video Production classes, said.

  AUTV, formally ACTV, was originally created in 1997. “When we first started ACTV, we used to air the completed broadcast on our campus cable channel, channel 39. In the late 90s and early 2000s, social media did not exist, so the only way to view the program was on your TV. Everyone used to look forward to them, and students would have watch parties. We continued to air the programs on our local channel, and in later years, the programs were added to the club’s YouTube page,” Plaumbo said.

Tom Burke, who teaches Video Production classes and is the Media Supervisor at Assumption, noted that before the COVID-19 pandemic, ACTV was a successful and lively club on campus. “There was a time when ACTV was producing three or four shows at once—a true reflection of strong student engagement. I hope to see AUTV thrive with that same energy and participation again,” he said.

Both Burke and Palumbo are excited to see students collaborate and turn into producers again. “My favorite part about the club was seeing everyone get involved. It was cool to see how each episode would begin as a bunch of news package concepts, and slowly, with the addition of each story, it would create the show,” Palumbo said.

“I also used to enjoy doing the anchor shoots because, inevitably, someone would always read something wrong off the teleprompter. This would often make everyone laugh, and sometimes it took a while to clear the studio of all the laughter before we could keep going. We always had fun producing them,” she continued.

Morgan Maddock, who is currently a graduate assistant for the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership, was involved with AUTV from 2021-2023. “I helped film packages, edited, and ran the camera my junior year, and co-directed with my best friend and roommate Carol McDonough my senior year! It was awesome to share that experience with her. Every now and then, we resend each other our episodes to reminisce.”

Maddock highlighted how even though she didn’t pursue media production, she still uses the editing and leadership skills she gained through AUTV, and that overall, it was a fun and exciting club to be a part of. “AUTV, similarly to Le Provoc, was a way for students to talk about issues and events that impact the campus community, or at the very least, help contribute to that community in silly man-on-the-street segments. Students would look forward to the opportunity to be interviewed in Hagan, and see themselves on the news. It served as another way for students to make connections with peers, faculty, and staff, while providing an outlet to practice professional skills and flex their creativity,” Maddock said.

Sophomore Anna Shew is currently taking Video Production I and was immediately inspired to start up AUTV again. “During the first class, Professor Burke said if anyone was interested in starting AUTV back up, which had fazed out during COVID, they could talk to him after class. This semester, I wanted to take more risks in involving myself with extracurriculars, and on the first day of class, I felt like this was a perfect opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. I have also considered doing something in communications, and knew that this club would be a perfect learning experience for if I wanted to enter that field or just fun experiences in something different,” Shew said.

Burke emphasized the point that AUTV is for everyone. “With limited video production courses available, AUTV offers students hands-on experience in media production and the chance to create original content for the campus community. Can’t get into a TVP class? No problem—AUTV is open to all, and no experience is necessary!”

“If you’ve ever thought about being on TV or want to learn more about the technical side of broadcasting, including filming and editing, come to the Media Center for a meeting. It’s a great way to meet new people, create lasting memories with the crew, and have something to reflect on long after graduation, knowing you were part of something incredible on campus…Today, everything you see involves some video or media clip. There are people behind those creations, and someday that may be you,” Palumbo concluded.

AUTV meets on Tuesdays at 2:30 pm in the studio, which is located in the DiPasquale Media Center. For more information, please contact Julia Forest (julia.forest@assumption.edu) or Anna Shew (anna.shew@assumption.edu).