MACOMB, Ill., Nov. 15 -- Western Illinois University issued the following news release:
Unleash your inner commentator.
Through a live in-game blogging opportunity provided by Western Illinois University broadcasting students, Leatherneck athletics fans can log in during home games, while following the game on television or radio, and provide their own color commentary alongside the students who are broadcasting live from the game.
To participate and be a part of the play-by-play action, visit wiu.edu/cofac/sportsbroadcasting and click on Live Blogging. The blogging site is active during the home games for football, volleyball and basketball. Past blogs are also archived, and schedules of live blogging opportunity are posted.
'They are doing a great job,' said Broadcasting Department Chair Sharon Evans. 'We really want to get more alumni and fans involved. It's just one more way to increase school spirit, while giving our broadcasting students a great new experience.'
Evans 'borrowed' the in-game blogging idea from her alma mater, Baylor University, after visiting that school's website to follow her team in the NCAA baseball tourney and learning more about that school's blog. The blog is powered by CoverItLive.
'I was intrigued by the possibilities, and after participating, I really enjoyed blogging with other fans,' Evans said. During a recent Baylor game, more than 3,000 fans participated in the live blogging, including fans from Beijing, Afghanistan, London and more.
Evans took her firsthand experience to Buzz Hoon, broadcasting professor, who, working with the College of Fine Arts and Communication web manager Khaing Saw, made the live in-game blogging during WIU athletics home games a reality this fall. Hoon saw this as an excellent opportunity for new students to jump into the program and learn a new skill.
'The blogging is one of many learning activities we provide to our students to prepare them to be multimedia sports broadcasters,' Hoon said. 'We want to provide outlets to showcase our students' talents in covering sports in an ever-changing technological world.'
One of the student-bloggers, Pierce Roberson, a freshman from Chicago, said he didn't expect to get so involved in his major as quickly as he did.
'Doing the live in-game blogging has given me an opportunity to get experience in the field of sports broadcasting, and a chance to prepare my skills in my freshman year so that I may take them to the next level in the coming years,' he added.
For blogger Matthew Dougherty, a freshman from Chatham, said the experience has been a challenge as it has required him to adapt his broadcasting skills to a new mode of communication.
'Describing something is easy, especially when saying it out loud in seconds. But when you type it, you almost have to predict a play or know exactly what you want to say beforehand, so that when the play is over, you can type it up as fast as possible,' Doughtery explained. 'It's a lot of fun, and I have been wanting to do commentating for sports since I was little, so this takes everything to a new level.' For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
