So, just what is the Longwood Show? And why is it such a huge step forward for students?

The Longwood Show is a student news and entertainment program about college life. Unlike traditional courses which take place in the classroom, the show is a hands-on internship intended to give students the opportunity to create their own curriculum. The cast and crew perform their own research, write their own material, and handle a majority of the video production from the set to the editing room. Classrooms and text books are traded for a studio and a camera crew, where cast members engage in weekly filming sessions. The results are clipped together at Longwoods digital post production studio and published to the web, where the final episodes air.

The show is designed to put a fresh spin on local events by merging traditional broadcasting with comedy. The result is a satirical spin on the evening news, with a focus on what it s like to be a student at Longwood University;

The cast is composed of a host, who provides commentary from our broadcast studio in Curry Residence Hall, and other student correspondents, who serve on assignment as reporters. In addition to relaying the news, cast members also take on the roles of various characters in the show's sketch comedy pieces, which range from whimsical public service announcements to fake commercials.

Given the surge of interest in Communication Studies on college campuses across the nation, it seemed only fair to develop a new program which would enable students to get real world experience by working on actual broadcasting projects, rather than merely reading about them in class. Many of the show's members have expressed interest in media careers after graduation. Having the chance to write, produce, and star in their own show here on the Longwood campus became the perfect opportunity to get first-hand experience in the business.

Because the students produce their own material, enthusiasm is high, and the work ethic is intense. Receiving class credit for staring in their own TV show is a pretty good deal, yet most will agree that there is way more at stake than simply getting a good grade. Everyone wants to make the show the best it can be, because each episode is out there for the whole world to see. For the students, that means looking bad or writing a dull script is simply not an option.

You can see how their efforts have paid off this fall, when the Longwood Show launches its first episode in October.

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