LUTV on Fox features student documentaries

Pictured are Bruce Wright, of Bridge City and Kyra Ellis, of Houston - LUTV on Fox Anchors.

Staff Report - For The Record

“LUTV on Fox,” an award-winning program from Lamar University’s Department of Communication, will air student-produced documentaries on a wide range of topics including sports, health, history, the local arts community and more on Sunday, July 17. Produced by the students, alumni, staff and faculty of the department, the programs will air on KBTV Fox 4 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on the 17th.

The first of the two 30-minute programs, hosted by LUTV News student anchors Bruce Wright of Bridge City and Kyra Ellis, of Houston, will include the following segments:

• “The Right to Breastfeed,” produced by recent Department of Communication graduates Mamie Allen, of Beaumont, and Enoma Owen, Houston.

  Allen and Owen speak with medical experts and mothers who want to normalize breastfeeding in Southeast Texas.

• “From Football Star to Felon,” the story of a football player with a promising career that ended abruptly after being sentenced to prison, produced by Kiandra Bowers of West Palm Beach, Fla.
• “Restoring the Railroad,” produced by Orange, Texas, natives Jonathan Tippett and Trevier Gonzalez, about the restoration efforts to a train depot in their hometown.
• “The Powerlifting Mom,” produced by Jennifer Yacuta, Santa Rosa, Calif., about the interesting life of a mother of three, full-time student and a champion powerlifter.

“As a young, aspiring industry professional and student, I am truly honored to have my work displayed on a local network affiliate,” said Bowers, producer of “From Football Star to Felon.” “Opportunities like this are rare and can be a stepping stone for my career plans. In the future, I hope to continue working in the broadcasting industry and have my work featured on many other networks worldwide.”

The second “LUTV on Fox” program, airing at 5 p.m. on the 17th, and hosted by LUTV News student anchors Jonathan Tippett, of Orange, and Avery Smithhart, Port Neches, will showcase the following documentaries:

• “The Art of Wrestling,” produced by Erik Rodriguez, Beaumont, and Shay Doucette, Vidor, tells the story of two independent wrestlers and the pain, sacrifice and rewards of their profession.
• “Living With Aphasia,” produced by Avery Smithhart, Port Neches, about the complex disorder that affects interactions, language and communication.
• “Downtown Arts,” produced by Edward Long, Beaumont, about the dedicated musicians bringing music and life back to downtown Beaumont.
• “The Little Fireman Who Could,” produced by Bruce Wright, Bridge City, and Shenid Bhayroo, assistant professor, tells the heartwarming story of a 6-year old boy who does not allow his life struggles deter him from his dream of being a fireman.

“Outside of just the documentary making process, I made massive leaps in my editing ability compared to where I was before I started working on ‘LUTV on Fox,’” said Tippett, student news anchor. “It's given me a better look at the process of creating a professional quality broadcasting and what it takes to coordinate a team of people to do so.”

In June, “LUTV on Fox” took first place in the “Student TV and Radio News or Feature Story” category at the 2016 Houston Press Club’s Lone Star Awards.

“The content that these students produced for “LUTV on Fox” is a reflection of the potential and growth of our program,” said Gordon Williams, LU Television studio operations manager. “I am extremely proud and impressed with the quality of their work. With the proper resources, instruction and talented students, I feel this program can continue to garner awards in the future.”

For more information about the Department of Communication at Lamar University, call (409) 880-8153 or visitlamar.edu/communication. Follow LUTV News on Facebook at facebook.com/lutvnews to view more student-produced documentaries and behind-the-scenes insights as students discuss their experiences while on these projects.