UW Oshkosh’s Radio/TV/Film department took home 20 awards for student media outlets at the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Student Forum Feb. 22 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
90.3 WRST-FM Operations Manager Brianna Hone said that the awards show how talented the students are in the RTF department.
“I did have this fear that we wouldn’t do very well and it would reflect badly on me,” Hone said. “But hearing our name so many times, it really still shows the fact that we’re doing some cool stuff here, and I’m really proud. I feel like it makes my job in life easier, knowing that I can come up [to the studio] and not have to worry about if there’s something getting done, because I know it is.”
UWO senior and Titan TV Station Manager Jena Plutz won the WBA Student Leadership Award to cap off a ceremony that saw Titan TV claim eight awards and 90.3 WRST-FM receive 12.
90.3 WRST-FM’s first place awards were handed out for the Boyd Huppert Excellence in Radio Writing Award, Best Newscast, Best General News Story, Best Sports Show and Best Sports Play-By-Play.
Titan TV took home the top spot in best promo for the Titan TV 50th Anniversary promo and won best PSA for a 30-second spot on The HUB in Reeve Memorial Union.
Plutz said that the success at the WBA Student Forum shows that all the students in the RTF department are passionate about what they do.
“The students spend a lot of time outside of, you know, the normal work hours of the day, working on their shows and their projects,” Plutz said. “So, it’s really awesome to see all that hard work pay off in eight different awards for Titan TV.”
Plutz said the hours of work that students put into their productions is a representation of the hard-working Wisconsin attitude.
“Our program here at UW is pretty exceptional,” Plutz said. “So many people across the country, professionals especially, know that we work hard and we do good work. Our faculty work hard to give us the most hands-on and engaging education as we can, and they’re always here for questions and to help us through any struggles we have. It’s really an honor to be under their wings throughout this experience.”
Plutz said that she was shocked when she found out she had been selected for the Student Leadership Award.
“I was up visiting my parents, actually, and Justine [Stokes] called me and let me know, and I almost started crying, because truly, it was very unexpected,” Plutz said. “It is a huge honor that I am very proud of and it’s kind of surreal that my hard work is paying off. But it’s truly amazing, and I’m very, very happy about it.”
Titan TV General Manager Justine Stokes said at the awards ceremony that she was impressed by Plutz’s ability to recruit and retain students.
“In this role, Jena has consistently exceeded her job responsibilities,” Stokes said. “She manages staff and producers, oversees show selection, conducts staff training, and fills in whenever needed, whether in front of or behind the camera. Titan TV’s production schedule is a marathon, not a sprint, and Jenavieve excels at managing her own stress while recognizing when a student or production needs help.”
Plutz said that she found her place in Titan TV as a sophomore after she pitched her sketch comedy show “Duck Duck Live.”
“As a freshman and sophomore starting to get involved with Titan TV, it’s kind of scary,” Plutz said. “There’s a lot going on and a lot of moving pieces. It’s hard to understand it all. But when I pitched my show at the end of my sophomore year and then created it my junior year that fall, I learned so much and truly fell in love with live television, and I think I thrive in a more managerial position. I’m organized, and I have to do lots of scheduling and stuff like that. So this position seemed like a good fit for my career goals, and I really enjoy working with Titan TV.”
Stokes said Plutz has a unique ability to meet students where they are and help them find their place.
“Whether it is a freshman with no experience, or an upperclassman interested in producing their own show, she makes students feel welcome and provides them with the tools to succeed,” Stokes said.
Plutz said she wants to go into live TV after she graduates from UWO this spring with a double major in RTF and Theater Arts, and a minor in Spanish.
“I think management would be the long-term goal, whether that be at a station managing a news station or something like that,” Plutz said. “I could see myself producing, maybe even being talent or an anchor or something like that, but I think the management side of things is more my cup of tea, and I really like live television, so that’s where I’m leaning.”
