Basic TV News & Documentary Course 2012

Faculty of Communication Arts 

Chulalongkorn University

Bangkok, Thailand

Instructor Linda Boonyuen Owens

Twenty-two students in the Basic TV News and Documentary course found out if the standard is high, they can exceed expectations. Our class simulated a working newsroom on deadline. Students hailing from Germany, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Australia had 16 weeks to learn how to produce TV news stories. After covering the basics of shooting and editing video, students worked in reporter/producer teams to pitch original story ideas, report, shoot, write and edit their stories to a polished final cut stage.

After four months, their best stories made it into two shows anchored by our on-air personalities. Students took on individual jobs to produce two studio shows and later drop in their news packages. Many stepped up their game to a higher level by wearing many hats from Senior Producer, Editor, Technical Director and News Writer. What the class delivered surpassed all expectations with superb graphic animation; deep reporting in local Thai language, a second language for most students; and visually-compelling production. These are their stories.