As of this year, Jackson Prep has its own news channel on YouTube: JP Broadcast. The news channel is run by the newly formed Broadcast Media class, which was started this August by Mr. Bobby Gross, the technical director for the Centre for Arts and Leadership,, and has been making weekly shows since September. 

A lot of work goes into making the weekly broadcast, but the students are able to do all of it by dividing up the work. Their jobs include director, news and sports anchors, audio engineer, video mixer, video cues, titles/graphics, camera operator, and teleprompter operator. Each week the students have a different job so that they can learn how each job works. Mr. Gross says that he helped the students learn their jobs initially, but now they run everything on their own. Sophomore Elizabeth Head said, “I like that we get to do everything on our own. We write our own scripts and run everything ourselves. Being on camera has been one of my favorite jobs, but it can be stressful. The hardest part is looking like you aren’t nervous when you definitely are and trying not to stumble over words.”

The broadcasts have featured stories on One School Many Books, Hurricane Laura, interviews of how teachers are adapting to COVID, and asking students crazy questions like favorite smell or weirdest food combination. These broadcasts, for now, only air on YouTube. Mr. Gross likes the idea of the broadcasts airing on the televisions around campus, but, due to COVID guidelines, no one is allowed in the halls where they could watch them. 

The class also does things outside of their weekly broadcasts. They produce the commercials for their shows and handle the broadcasting of Junior High sports, as well as partake in various recording opportunities around campus. 

To watch the shows, make sure to look up JP Broadcast on YouTube.