By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News
PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – The Department of Convergence Media at Louisiana Christian University has unveiled a new podcast studio.
“We’re very appreciative of the (Norman and Lorraine) Martin Family being willing to donate additional funds to LCU for us to be able to purchase the equipment,” said Al Quartemont, assistant professor of journalism. “It really has given us a modern studio that the students are already taking advantage of.”
One of the biggest uses so far has been for classes in the Sports Media concentration and for the Wildcats Media Sports podcast. These podcasts are available through Wildcats Media social media pages.
“We’ve been able to produce two new podcasts each week,” Quartemont said. “Seeing that podcasting has exploded in recent years, it’s exciting that we are able to give our students the opportunity to learn how to make a professional podcast as part of our overall Convergence Media curriculum.”
One of those students is Danny Cobb, a junior sports media major, who plans to go on to work in national sports broadcasting.
“Growing up, my grandpa got me into sports and learning sports stats,” Cobb said. “I love being able to share my knowledge of sports with my peers through podcasts. It also helps with my social anxiety, spreading my knowledge of sports on a podcast while living my dream.”
Quartemont said it is also a way to serve our campus community.
“This semester, we’ve been using our podcasts to spotlight student athletes from all the fall sports,” he said. “Also, we did a podcast with some of the cast members of ‘The Play That Goes Wrong,’ the fall production for theatre louisiana christian. We’re hoping we can continue to help promote the great things that are happening on the LCU campus.”
Jeff Young, professor of media production, was instrumental in getting the studio constructed, along with senior Jacob Mercer.
“If you’ve always wanted to start a podcast, you have an outlet,” Young said. “The facility is open to anybody on campus, as long as it meets the mission statement of Louisiana Christian University.”
It must follow social media policy and be an appropriate topic of conversation, as well, he said.
Podcasting, as it has grown in popularity in recent years, has allowed for more Christian voices and topics to be addressed to audiences looking for those kinds of conversations.
LCU has partially funded the nationally award-winning podcast “Telling Lives,” written and hosted by Dr. Elizabeth Clarke, professor of media and communication. The second season of which is scheduled to wrap up later this semester.
“The difference this podcast has made to our teaching and experiential capabilities is night and day, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this studio,” Clarke said. “From the live podcasts that are recorded and now available for our students about campus events and sports, to longer form investigative and educational, heavily produced podcasts, there’s no limit to what we can do here with this current popular media format. We are just limited by the number of students and faculty on campus who want to have a voice.”
LCU President Mark Johnson, who has been involved in podcasting for more than 20 years, hosted a segment from his P356 tour in the new podcast studio with Quartemont, Young and Brian Manuel, dean of Media, Communication and Fine Arts.
“I hosted my first podcast in 2004, The Mark Johnson Radio Show, followed by Comedy as Remedy and other small shows as the medium was taking off,” Johnson said. “Most recently, as Doctor of Ministry director at New Orleans Seminary, I hosted Projects in Context, highlighting doctoral students’ work. Podcasts are powerful tools for developing communication and leadership skills that serve students well beyond graduation. I am glad we have this studio as a tool for students.”
