By By Emily Windram, Special to the Chronicle
Students looking for a fun, informative way to get their news about the campus and beyond need look no further than the dynamic club Hofstra Today. This highly ambitious and interactive new club produces a 30-minute live news/entertainment segment on Hofstra University television (on channel 34) every Wednesday at noon.
Backed by both HEAT (Hofstra Entertainment Access Television) and HRDNA (Hofstra Radio and TV Digital News Association), the club is completely student-run and focuses on both journalistic and entertainment aspects of weekly news. It was first conceived by now-graduated student James Benesh in 2010, and was officially started in spring 2011. It models itself after NBC’s Today Show, and has a wide range of coverage. It reports on national, local and campus-wide news, and addresses politics, entertainment and everyday life.
“The show is by, and for, Hofstra,” said executive producer Benjamin Gelb. “The club is a good way to provide a journalism outlet for students, and since we focus on new topics every week it’s always relevant.” The content of the show is always flexible, but the show’s general news format begins with national stories, then reports on more local segments (in areas like Long Island, New York City, and New Jersey) and finally turns to campus news.
Everyone on- and off-campus can have a voice here. The show has interviewed professors, deans, club members, Public Safety officers, passionate students, and more: the show’s latest interviewees are a panel of four political pundits following the hype of “Super Tuesday.” Excitingly, Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz was also recently interviewed, and he later expressed his approval of the club.
For the student more inclined toward entertainment journalism, this club is also a great choice. It hosts a broad base of entertainment news, ranging from celebrities’ public and personal lives to award show coverage to reviews of the latest movie or TV show. It also provides more lighthearted and varied segments, such as live outdoor cooking specials, and devotes the end of the show to covering sports.
“We’re always looking for new people,” says Gelb. “New people mean new ideas, which are always welcome.” Hofstra Today is the perfect outlet for any student who is interested in journalism, broadcasting or just getting their voice heard.