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Student-Run Media Under Attack
News [We have had some great information passed to us by a student 'in the know' asking to go by the pseudonym Prussian Warrior. A list of representatives (and their email addresses) on this matter can be found in the extended entry. If you'd like to make your opinion known, I would highly suggest emailing one of all of them with a polite, succinct letter stating your position. You have no idea how much a simple email can effect policy decisions, especially if you are well spoken.] Meetings with key student body leaders and the Department of Student Affairs are taking place right now to determine the future of the closed circuit, student-run television stations on campus. Two events from last year have put UCSD administration's panties in a knot: the broadcast of nudity on SRTV (which is piped to both UCSD Medical Centers and the Pruess School for some reason) and the showing of the beheading of an American hostage on WCTV. Since then, most colleges have put a halt on the production of new, student created content until the school can better delineate what is appropriate for broadcast. UCSD has created a committee comprised of UCSD administrators and student leaders (ostensibly involved with the campus TV stations in question). While the Closed Circuit TV Stations Governance committee has just gotten underway, most believe the end result will be the loss of some of the freedoms that students working for a campus television station previously enjoyed. It is too early to speculate, but UCSD officials will likely try to gain direct control over some aspects of our TV stations, most notably SRTV. Details should become clearer as the deadline (early Winter) approaches, so if you know who your college representative is, be sure to give them your two cents. Patty Mahaffey, Muir College Dean (pmahaffey@ucsd.edu) As a personal aside, I'd like to point out that Watts' attempts to broadcast the Nick Berg execution footage on WCTV are perhaps the most vile, deplorable means through which he has ever tried to publicize his own name. For a bit of half-assed background on the matter, I'll refer you to this [signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040527/news_1m27tv.html] Union-Tribune article. Pay attention to the end: "...officials granted permission to a student organization to show the Berg video on Library Walk, a central campus walkway, but the student then had second thoughts and canceled his plans. 'Library Walk is a public forum,' said Jeffrey Philpott, dean of student affairs at Warren College. 'WCTV isn't a public forum. It's a learning tool run by the college.'" Ariel Mor, who was behind the Library Walk efforts, was (by his own admission) trying to stir up pro-war sentiments. This was a bad enough use for such genuinely horrific footage. As an all-too curious child of the Internet Age, I had assumed that I was desensitized to any sort of twisted visual input mankind could dish out. After finding and watching the execution footage, however, I felt as if I'd been punched in the gut and my blood replaced with cold water. Hollywood doesn't make screams that real. I digress. Before attempting to air the gruesome footage in its entirety, Watts first ran select, violent portions of the clip on his WCTV show without consulting any Warren College admin. I take little issue with this. The 'premier' may have been juvenile and in poor taste, but every other campus TV show fits roughly the same description. You can't fault these TV kids for being reckless; college is all about embracing that sort of thing. Watts crossed the line later, however, when he announced that he would be showing the entire clip on his show after controversy had already been stirred up by others' motions to display it on Library Walk. Obviously, little Danny wanted some of the spotlight for himself, good or bad. The Union Tribune and USA Today reported on the subject because Watts sent them (and many, many others) a goddamn press release. He didn't care about the traumatic subject of the video, only its controversial appeal. As I've said before, attention whores are the scourge of this campus. Daniel Watts used the execution of an American civilian to get his name in the paper, and in doing so he caused Claire Palmer, Warren College Resident Dean, to shut down WCTV. Hey, Daniel, how's your Google result count doing these days? ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.youcsd.com/nav-commenters.gif) on November 15, 2004 08:10 AM
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