News Channel 5 recently donated $70,000 worth of equipment to TV2. LESLEY KATZENMEYER | SUMMER KENT STATER

Credit: DKS Editors

Next fall, TV2 and electronic media production students will benefit from a donation from News Channel 5 in Cleveland.

News Channel 5, whose employees include Kent State graduates and interns, had gotten new equipment and was looking to get rid of its old gear. After the station offered the equipment to a number of other schools first, Kent State’s electronic media production department expressed interest.

“Usually when people donate gear, it’s old, beat-up stuff, and nobody wants it anymore, but this stuff is in really good condition,” said David Smeltzer, assistant professor in electronic media production.

Among the equipment the department received are three robotic pedestal tripods, two high-end studio broadcast cameras and two professional field cameras, worth a total of $70,000.

anager for TV2, said the move to Franklin Hall created a budget cap for the station, and the donation helped TV2 get the equipment it needed.

Schillig, a senior electronic media management major, said the equipment will be a great addition to TV2’s new studio in Franklin Hall.

“TV2 is going to change in a lot of ways,” Smeltzer said. “When a reporter goes out to shoot field footage, they’ll be shooting with high-quality equipment.”

Field footage is the video reporters shoot outside the studio, and field cameras are used for this purpose.

“The field cameras are in great shape, and great for reporters,” Schillig said.

The robotic tripods will also change the operation of TV2. These tripods are expensive equipment, Smeltzer said, and they will be programmed to move around the studio on their own.

“If we hook them up right, we won’t even need a person standing behind the camera to operate it,” Schillig said.

Smeltzer said the broadcast cameras will be helpful for recording sporting events, as the lenses can zoom in very closely.

In addition, the department received digital recording discs, which Smeltzer said will allow students to come in and edit their videos at any time of the day or night.

“The equipment from News Channel 5 is definitely a great addition,” Schillig said. “It’s always great that the local stations are willing to give schools their gently used equipment.”

Contact principal reporter Christina Stavale at [email protected].