Browning Stubbs, senior station manager for NewsWatch. He has taken a strong initiative to re-brand the University of Mississippi’s news channel and assure that it has the opportunity to be well distributed across the country.
The news station has recently changed their name from NewsWatch 99 to NewsWatch Ole Miss, a live student run broadcast that airs from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
Before the change took place, the University of Mississippi Professor Scott Fiene, did a project with his class, known as the “news watch project” and their goals were to increase the audience of NewsWatch 99 at the time.
During this project they found that, Eighty-one percent of the surveys taken from over 180 focus group participants, claimed that they didn’t know or have access to NewsWatch 99.
“NewsWatch 99 doesn’t do anything for us.” Stubbs said, “The perception of News Watch over the years has been students at the Meek school of journalism and people who work at the student media center, produce really great work, but unfortunately it’s not seen.”
The reason why great work isn’t seen is because, no one can find us on television, HD is unavailable, and not everyone can receive channel 99.
Although, Stubbs tried to implement this change last year.
“The change was inevitable.” Stubbs said, “NewsWatch Ole Miss provides a connection to the University of Mississippi and increases relevance of the student-ran broadcast. “
The main goal behind the name change is to, “rebrand NewsWatch in hopes of becoming the best college news station in the country,” Stubbs said.
Recently, NewsWatch Ole Miss has increased social media views.
“Our content is being distrusted all across social media,” said Stubbs. The social media activity is new, but rewarding.
Stubbs and the NewsWatch Ole Miss team are not stopping here. They are working tirelessly to assure that NewsWatch Ole Miss becomes the best college news station in America.
“This is something that I believe is going to be here for a very long time. Maybe one day a future television outlet will notice that this is something special,” said Stubbs.
There are approximately 35 employees behind the student produced broadcast. Upcoming NewsWatch tryouts for anchors, co-anchors, and various positions will be held in September of 2016. Interested students shouldn’t miss out on being a part of a groundbreaking collegiate show.
Jayla Whitfield is a HottyToddy.com intern. She can be reached at jowhitfi@go.olemiss.edu.
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