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A new ���Ĵ�ý course gives students hands-on public access television production experience while showcasing the creative communities found at ���Ĵ�ý and around Chicago.

���Ĵ�ý students have been exploring Chicago’s spooky side this Halloween season and will share what they’ve discovered with audiences on Oct. 28. 

The Halloween-themed segments, including a ghost tour and a visit to a medieval torture museum, kick off “The Art of Culture,” a new 30-minute television program produced entirely by students in Chicago Media Lab, a capstone course in ���Ĵ�ý’s School of Communication and Culture. 

Through a new partnership with CAN TV, Chicago’s public access television network, students bring stories about ���Ĵ�ý’s creative community and Chicago’s cultural scene to audiences across the city and nationwide, as the show streams on Roku, Fire TV, via the , and .

“This is a very public way to get our students out there with work they produce, but it also highlights all of the art that is done at ���Ĵ�ý College,” says Professor Jackie Spinner who co-teaches the class with Associate Professor Yonty Friesem. 

Students Take the Creative Lead 

While faculty guide the production process, students choose their subjects and decide how to tell their stories. 

“Every one of these mini shows within the larger show is their idea,” Spinner says. 

Working in small teams, students develop segments about ���Ĵ�ý organizations and Chicago’s cultural attractions. Each team takes the lead on an episode, while classmates support production by operating cameras, managing lighting, and handling other technical work. 

Early in the semester, students visited CAN TV to meet with Darrious Hilmon, CAN TV's executive director and executive producer of “Chicago Newsroom 2.0.” They presented their ideas and received feedback from the network’s programming staff.  

“Their excitement and pride in their work were palpable,” says Lesley Johnson, program director at CAN TV.  

Since the project began, Johnson has also taken note of students' ability to meet deadlines.  

"That seems like a mundane thing, but giving students real-world, television deadlines is one of the aspects of this partnership that will propel them ahead of others in the industry," Johnson says.  

Student Experience 

Junior Journalism and Communication major Marc Balbarin hosts “Marc in the Moment,” a segment that immerses him in the activities he covers. 

For the Halloween premiere, Balbarin joined ���Ĵ�ý's Renegades Galahad Medieval Combat Society to learn sword fighting while interviewing one of its student leaders. In another segment, he learned traditional Mexican dance from a Latin dance group. 

His approach reflects his philosophy of storytelling: “How am I supposed to understand a story and how am I supposed to tell a story, more importantly, if I don’t know what it’s like to be in their shoes?” 

Senior Journalism and Communication major Julia Martinez Arroyo discovered an unexpected interest in producing while working on the show. 

“I love setting up a schedule. I’ve done a lot of the booking for my team,” she says. “It gives me a chance to step into the role of a producer that I didn’t really think of before.” 

The course builds on her previous broadcast and journalism experience while introducing her to new career possibilities. 

Preparing students for careers in media is a central goal of the class, says Associate Professor Yonty Friesem. Students learn to produce content that meets television broadcast standards while managing deadlines and responding to professional feedback. 

“We want to make sure our students are equipped to get into the job market right away and have the experience that will give them those jobs,” Friesem says. 

The finished segments also give students portfolio pieces to share with prospective employers. 

Reaching Audiences Beyond ���Ĵ�ý 

Individual segments of “The Art of Culture” will appear in other CAN TV programming, giving students additional exposure. 

Students contribute to CAN TV’s “Newsroom 2.0,” a program featuring conversations with newsmakers, and student hosts will visit CAN TV’s studio to introduce segments from “The Art of Culture,” gaining additional on-air experience. 

To get a first gllimpse of "The Art of Culture," viewers can stream it on  at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28, or visit the School of Communication and Culture’s

A Mutually Beneficial Partnership 

For ���Ĵ�ý and CAN-TV the partnership is a win-win, with ���Ĵ�ý bringing CAN TV programming from a younger generation of storytellers and CAN TV giving ���Ĵ�ý students a platform to share their work with Chicago audiences and spotlight ���Ĵ�ý’s creative community. 

"Their stories highlight what is important to them as young media artists," Johnson says. "They probably won't realize this until later, but the audience will also see their skills grow in ability, execution, and confidence in storytelling, reporting, and technical aspects." 

For Balbarin, whose career interests include writing and broadcast journalism, the experience goes beyond building a résumé and developing skills to something perhaps even more meaningful. 

“Not only is ‘Marc in the Moment’ something for my portfolio,” he says. “It adds to my life experiences and allows me to learn even more.” 

 

 

 

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