519 Online News at Conestoga College will be utilizing the latest web streaming technology to cover the Ontario provincial election on October 6 with a team of 27 video journalists providing live reports to 519onlinenews.com
Six field reporting crews comprised of student videographers and producers will use iPads and iPhones for live interviews and reports from ridings in Waterloo Region and beyond.
In a newly built studio at Conestoga, hosts, directors and producers will make sure the web audience gets the latest stats and developments as the night proceeds. The live webcast begins at 9:00 p.m. after the polls are closed and results are coming in.
Students in the Videography Broadcast Journalism/Documentary post-graduate program operate 519 Online News as part of their studies. Program coordinator Steve Parr says the online news lab has attracted a large and loyal following.
"During the academic year, 519 Online News receives more than 4,000 hits a day from 35 countries. It’s grown far beyond our expectations, and that speaks to the quality of news the students are producing. Election night coverage is something we just have to do - even though these students have only been in the Videography program a matter of weeks at this point. It's very exciting for them because they are operating as videographers using the latest in social media apps as their reporting tools. It's something they need to know because the web is where more and more people are going these days to see live coverage of news. Apps like FaceTime and Skype are changing the way live news is reported."
For more information contact Steve Parr, Program Coordinator, Videography-Broadcast Journalism Documentary Program at Conestoga College. 519-748-5220 ext. 3409, sparr@conestogac.on.ca