Department of Communication Studies

The Communication Studies Department operates a number of state-of-the-art broadcasting and production facilities to support courses related to our degree programs in journalism, radio, television, video and film production. Students interested in news and dramatic production can produce high quality productions at Oswego.

The Communication Studies Department has converted all current facilities into new digital broadcasting facilities.

Lanigan Hall is the home of the Communication Studies Department and houses our production facilities.

Lanigan Studio A is a medium size television facility where we teach television production and where students can integrate field production packages with studio wrap-around segments. Studio A is a 3 camera, wide-screen digital facility utilizing SONY broadcast quality studio cameras. Production is accomplished on a Ross Synergy 2 video switcher. Graphics are provided using a dual channel Chryon Lyric system. We use a Imageserver 2000 multichannel video server for recording and playback. Video inserts are transferred to studio operations from our editing suites using an Apple XServer- XSAN technology and live satellite feeds from CNN News Source.

Lanigan Studio B is a fully operational three camera broadcast news facility, using three SONY broadcast cameras, a Ross Synergy 1 digital switcher and two channel Chryon Lyric system. Recording and playback are accomplished on a multichannel Imageserver 2000. The studio is completely digital and can be interconnected with Studio A, providing for multicamera, multistudio operations. News and teleprompter playback is controlled via an E-Z News server system.

Video/Editing Lab is a video editing/post production facility featuring Macintosh dual processing computers with Final Cut Pro Studio high-definition software. Final Cut Pro is a high-end post production software package for video editing. Remote location video is shot on the DVCAM (digital video) format.

Communication Studies is a CNN News Source affiliate.  Video segments are transferred to television studios utilizing FTP software. 

20 Lanigan houses a journalism classroom/laboratory. The complex utilizes 6 high definition Macintosh workstations for video editing and 6 Dell computers networked to a EZ News production server. EZ News automatically integrates written news stories into a production sequence and publishes rundown and teleprompter scripts for use in television newscasts. The lab also ingests new source materials for print and broadcast journalism. AP newswire and CNN News Source are used as a resource for journalism courses. Video segments and PowerPoint presentations are played on a 50 inch high definition plasma screen display.

The Center for Communication and Information Technology, is a co-sponsored lab for the Communication Studies Department, the Art Department and the Information Science major. CCIT houses computers for graphic design, screenwriting and publishing. The Center features After Effects, Quark Express as well as Adobe Creative Suite and Dreamweaver software packages. The Center is funded through the School of Communication, Media and the Arts.

Penfield Hall houses WRVO-FM, SUNY Oswego's award winning National Public Radio station. WRVO serves a large portion of central and northern New York with news and informational programming. WRVO is a fully digital station utilizing the Wheatstone G5 and G3 control surface systems in all production studios. While WRVO is a professionally run station, Communication Studies students work at WRVO through internships, by volunteering or in paid positions.

Lanigan Radio Labs houses three new 'combo' production studios for radio production. Combo studios contain multiple formats for recording and playing audio sources. Audio is recorded on minidisc or on Intel iMac computers using Pro Tools 7 software on the Macintosh platform. Audio is archived and distributed on an Apple XSAN server. Lanigan Radio Labs feature Wheatstone D-75 audio boards allowing us to integrate both digital and analog technologies. Multitrack recording and post-production is accomplished in our Digidesign Control 24 console.

In Spring 2008 our student media organizations opened all new facilities. The Oswegonian, our award-winning student newspaper uses Macintosh computers for layout and design. WNYO-FM, our student radio station provides Oswego with non-stop music, news and sports coverage. WNYO-FM is all digital and completely student programed and managed. WT0P Channel 10, our cable television station, houses our brand new digital Al Roker Television Studios. WTOP is a state-of-the-art facility capable of doing live remote location coverage of Oswego Laker Hockey and other campus events. WTOP and Lanigan television facilities are connected via fiber optic networks allowing for simultaneous use of all of our television studios.

Oswego provides students with unparalleled opportunities for media production both in class and as co-curricular activities. These capabilities make Oswego a right choice for students interested in broadcasting, media and new technologies.