UNM's Department of Communication and Journalism creates new Live Stream Studio

The old broadcast studio inside the Department of Communication and Journalism at The University of New Mexico is getting a makeover.

The former television and news studio has transformed into a live stream studio with a new set, existing camera/audio equipment, and lighting.

The department's audio-visual technician, Santi Colmenero, has been working on the renovation since September 2023, repurposing equipment the school has previously used.

"Some of our bigger cameras and lighting weren't used actively, they were just sitting here dormant," Colmenero said. "So, I took the initiative to take on the space and redesign it to meet modern contemporary needs."

Now, the space is set up to create high-quality video productions. The live-stream studio will be able to produce different types of media, such as video podcasts, which can then be uploaded to YouTube or Facebook Live. To start, it will be open only to faculty and students taking C&J courses; however, the department plans to eventually open the production space to all UNM members and community groups off-campus.

"I get to tell my students now there's a lab downstairs where you can go and learn how media is made to get a more critical understanding of the media you're already engaged with, and to me, that's really invaluable," Associate Professor Michael Lechuga said. "The role of a public university is to serve the public, so if we can present an opportunity for community members around campus or the state to use our resources to promote the university's values, I think it's great."

Lechuga says recycling the studio and turning it into a space more appropriate for ways students engage with media nowadays is an opportunity to make connections that weren't possible before.

"Some of our graduate students are doing some amazing research, but they don't always get the opportunity to travel to conferences to present their research, so a studio like this would be tremendous for them," Lechuga said. "Post COVID a lot of people are doing the online option, so this is just another way to plug into global dialogue that our students are really on the cutting edge of."

Ilia Rodríguez Nazario, an associate professor in Communication and Journalism, says she sees this as continuing the department's evolution, keeping up with ever-changing technology, and giving students a more hands-on experience in the classroom.

"We're very excited about this new live stream studio because it expands the range of opportunities for undergraduate students to practice the skills they're learning in courses and are essential for success across the professional fields in communication," she said. "The studio also allows us tobe more present and be where people are, using technologies that the younger generations feel more comfortable with."

Whether it's a Multimedia Journalism class, Social Media, or a Public Speaking course, ideas for the space are already flowing.

"I have had a vision of bringing in some of UNM's Fine Arts students or somebody in the performing arts who can share their work with a larger community, building those connections across campus would be really awesome," Lechuga said.

There will be a link on the department's website starting Monday, August 19, where Communication and Journalism faculty and students can book a time slot for the studio.