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Field Production Class Visits KCNC-TV

Every semester 18 students from the Professor Joe Champ’s electronic field production class (JTC 345) pile on board CSU vans for a trip to one of Denver’s TV stations.

“I like to get students out of the classroom occasionally, because it’s a little too abstract,” said Champ. “These field trips get students excited. It gives our department a chance to connect with staff members at the Denver stations, which hire a lot of our students, and it gives us a chance to connect with alumni who work at the stations.”

This round’s tour guide was Bob Burke, a 1980 alumnus and chief of photojournalism at KCNC-News 4. Throughout the tour, Bob was a wealth of insight—sharing well-earned lessons from 27 years in the field. “When I come to work, I don’t have any idea what I’ll be doing that day. There are very few jobs where you can say that. So if you have attention deficit disorder, this is a good job for you!” he joked.

Burke told the students that anyone can learn technical production skills, but he encouraged the class members to perfect their storytelling. “How do you get people to let you into their life? Treat them with respect. Treat them the way you would want to be treated. If you can talk to people, you’ll get good stories. And if you get good stories, you’ll be successful.”
The class also got to hear from KCNC lead anchor Jim Benemann, a 1978 alumnus, and then stayed in the primary studio to watch the 5:00 pm news. When it was time to head back to Fort Collins, the field production students had a new perspective. “Bob’s wisdom was interesting,” reflected senior Jessica Baumann, “and inspiring.”