Texas Tech University. Dept. of Mass Communications

The Southwest Journalism Historical Center was created by the Texas Tech Mass Communications Department to celebrate U. S. newspapers that reached one hundred years or more in the printing business. The Center is now defunct.

From the guide to the Mass Communications Records, U 226. 1., 1957-1985 and undated, (Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University)

This collection concerns the records of the RaiderNet News project, and the following historical outline was compiled by the College of Mass Communications in order to preserve the history of the various news projects.

Four television news programs have been produced by the Mass Communications students at different times since the early 1970's. The last produced news program, RaiderNet News (2001-2004) was preceded by TV-2 News (1974-1975), Newsroom 5 (1972-1973), and What's Happening? (1972).

The initial student newscast, What's Happening? , produced in 1972 by Bud Sobell, was replaced that same year by Newsroom 5 , telecast each Wednesday over KTXT-TV (Channel 5) at 6:00 p.m. Newsroom 5 was produced by Tom Barnett. A companion discussion program, Dimensions, was telecast immediately following Newsroom 5 at 6:15 p.m. and was produced by Terry Tackitt.

In 1974 TV-2 News, a 15-minute newscast, produced by Clay Kistler was produced three evenings a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and distributed over Lubbock Cable Company's Channel 2.

Given the capability of Internet video streaming, Dennis Harp began exploring the feasibility of starting a student webcast in September 2000. Conceived as a 3-5 minute news brief produced by student volunteers, the concept was introduced to students in November 2000.

Electronic Media and Journalism students were asked about their interest in participating with the production of a student news webcast. Several classes interested in the idea later voted to name the news program. RaiderNet News was selected to reflect the institution and video streaming process associated with the Internet.

Tom Barnett, adjunct instructor of electronic media courses during the fall 2000 term was consulted because of his 19 years of experience producing a daily student newscast at Odessa College. Barnett indicated his interest in producing the proposed RaiderNet News and started preparing a newsroom operations manual.

Texas Tech's Housing and Residence Life office agreed to distribute RaiderNet News on its Residence Life Cinema Channel (Channel 14). Channel 14 carried every RaiderNet News program produced.

Planning for the program began during December 2000. The first news brief, produced February 8, 2001, was 6 minutes in length, three minutes longer than projected. Eighteen volunteers along with a video production class worked together during the spring term producing the program. The longest program the first term 18 minutes in length. The average length of RaiderNet News that first semester was 9 minutes per program.

There were numerous technical problems encountered throughout the spring term. The difficulties extended from production equipment failures, limited equipment and the editing facilities. Technical problems continued to affect the newscast during the fall 2001 semester. At one point, nonlinear video assembly of the newscast was discontinued and a sixteen year old ¾-inch videotape editing system was utilized to complete production for the semester.

The fall 2001 semester introduced numerous changes involving RaiderNet News . Tom Barnett recommended producing a 30 minute newscast beginning with the fall 2001 semester. Additionally, broadcast journalism classes taught by Barnett were responsible for providing many of the campus related stories. Volunteers continued to produce segment reports dealing with health, recreational sports, finance, Greek life, and entertainment reviews. Agricultural students produced and provided segment reports about agriculture research and issues.

Barnett's half hour format was adopted and KTXT-TV began telecasting the program at at 10:30 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday night. During that semester the program was seen on Channel 5, the Internet, and Housing and Residence Life cable system. To make it feasible to extend the program to 30 minutes, RaiderNet News became a Cable News Network (CNN) affiliate, which facilitated national, international and sports coverage.

RaiderNet News was discontinued after its April 29, 2004 broadcast. Several reasons contributed to the end of the newscast. Tom Barnett's two year contract as "Choc" Hutcheson Professor concluded in May 2004. As a result of Barnett's departure, there was no one available or capable to produce a newscast. A tenure track broadcast journalism position, approved in 2003, was designed to support a proposed converged journalism curriculum. The faculty position was filled for fall 2005. The journalism faculty revised their academic curriculum during 2002-2004, emphasizing converged media, and began an 18 month transition to a new curriculum beginning in September 2004.

From the guide to the Mass Communications Records, U 226. 2., 2001-2004, (Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University)