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NEW SPORTS BROADCASTING COURSE ARRIVES IN TIME FOR FALL
by Kara Waggoner, photo courtesy David Hougland

The College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University is preparing to undergo changes in the fall including a new name, a new building, and a new merged department. Also, a unique special topics course is being offered to students who are seeking a hands-on experience in the sports industry.

Todd Chambers, Ph.D., associate professor and department chairperson of electronic media and communication, said every semester faculty and administrators talk with students and alumni about current trends happening in the industry. He said one area that has been popular in discussions is sports media.

“This fall, we will be offering two special topics courses,” Chambers said. “One will be a large lecture course devoted to helping students understand what it takes to produce a live sporting event. The other will be a hands-on experience in producing live sports events with David Hougland, director of sports broadcasting for Texas Tech Athletics.”

Chambers said Hougland's course will consist of real events where students will be able to learn different aspects of producing a live sports television broadcast. Some of the skills listed for the course agenda are working cameras, editing, directing, and conducting an entire live show. Chambers said he thinks Hougland will be a great instructor for this course because of his outstanding experience.

“David is a Texas Tech graduate and has years of experience in sports broadcasting,” Chambers said. “We have wanted him to teach a course like this for a while. When we saw this as an opportunity, we could not pass it up. It is a win-win for our students.”

Hougland said his goal for the course is to introduce students to the behind-the-scenes experience of a sports broadcasting production. He said he wants to take students that have zero experience, and with a semester's time under his instruction, have them know everything about what it takes to produce a sporting event.

“If a student knows they want to get into sports broadcasting,” Hougland said, “then this is a course they need to consider taking. The opportunities to learn, watch, and have a hands-on experience are there in this course. It opens the door for students to get involved and learn what it takes to make it in the sports broadcasting industry.”

Hougland said he thinks introducing the course this fall because the control room in the new Media & Communication Building will be a great place for students to learn. He also thinks this course will benefit students who are interested in pursuing a career in the sports industry because they will learn important skills that will help them succeed.

“There are so many pieces to the puzzle when conducting a live production of a sporting event,” Hougland said, “and my goal is to help the students understand these pieces, so when they graduate and want to start a career in the sports industry, they will have the knowledge they need in order to succeed.”

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