Television-Radio Department Celebrates Five Decades

Although it wasn’t exactly the 50th anniversary (the exact date depends on what milestone you consider to be the definitive beginning), the TV-R department threw itself a half-century party during Homecoming weekend.

Alumni from the past five decades who now work in the advertising, broadcast journalism, print journalism, new media, and project and media management professions offered insights into their careers and samples of their work. Assistant professor Gossa Tsegaye ’76 aired his TVR History video and current student works were shown; ICTV tapings of The Show and Alex and Us were open to visitors. Robert Lebay ’93 created a video history of ICTV, which was offered on continuous replay during the weekend, along with highlights from current programs.

Radio alumni were well represented, too. Mike Mroziak ’92 (TV-R) and Mark Holt ’92 (cinema and photography), creators of the comedy troupe A Cast of Thousands, premiered their "mocumentary" on the history of radio, "Broadcasting: The Absolute Truth." Sarah Nix ’96 and Peter O’Callahan ’96 returned to the Ithaca airwaves to spin tunes. And WICB gave a special guest deejay slot to Herb Squire ’67 ("Happy Herbie the Platter Playboy"), who treated listeners to his "Swingin’ ’60s Survey."

The weekend was capped by a retrospective during which panels of alumni from each decade told tales of their own "good old days." Excerpts of films and videos produced by TV-R students in each decade set the scene for each conversation, which was peppered with praise for the department through its many transformations and homes both downtown and on South Hill. Assistant professor Gordon Webb moderated the lively session.

 
Witnesses to history: Longtime faculty member John Keshishoglou (below) and alumni from the 1950s (above left) through the '90s (above right) paid tribute to the department.

Professor John Keshishoglou, who was instrumental in pulling the celebration together along with Tsegaye, Webb, and associate professor John Rosenbaum, wrapped up the weekend’s events with a chronological history of the department.