Northwestern News Network

The Northwestern News Network, commonly known as NNN, is the student television news and sports service at Northwestern University.

NNN is funded by the Medill School of Journalism, serving the Northwestern and Evanston communities. Headquartered on Northwestern's Evanston campus, NNN's studios are located on the fourth floor of the McCormick Tribune Center and on the second floor of John J. Louis Hall.

The Northwestern News Report is NNN's flagship newscast, covering news "from around campus and around the world." The newscast airs live at 7 p.m. CT on Mondays and Wednesdays during the academic year on NU Channel 1, online at nnntv.org and weeknights at 10 p.m. on ectv.com Evanston Public-access television channel 6.

NNN Sports Night, a sports news television show, airs live on Thursdays at 7 p.m. CT. online and at 10 p.m. on Evanston Public-access television channel 6.

Party Lines, the network's weekly political show, is available on Vimeo.

History

NNN traces its history to Northwestern Student Television^[1], a student-run television production company founded in 1987 to give students the opportunity to produce, write and direct television programming, including a talk show, Weekly Edition, for cable television and the Chicago Access Corporation Educational television channel.

Students at the Medill School of Journalism began producing newscasts in the basement newsroom and studio of Fisk Hall on a set acquired from WMAQ-TV in 1989. In September 1991, the university opened a new television studio and broadcast newsroom, donated by the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation, in the Barbara and Garry Marshall Studio Wing of John J. Louis Hall. Evanston Stories, a television news magazine produced by undergraduate students at Medill, aired on Evanston Public-access television cable TV channel 6 from 1992 to 1995. Students began producing television newscasts under the Northwestern News Network name in 1993. Early newscasts were sporadic and screened at campus dormitories during late-night snack events, called "munchies."^{[citation needed]}

By 1995, NSTV had ceased to be a production company, instead directing its energy at producing a single sketch comedy television show, which assumed the title of the former production company. NNN split off into a new Associated Student Government-recognized B-status student group funded by Medill. The group was derecognized by ASG in the winter of 1999.^{[citation needed]}

After years of struggling, NNN's flagship newscast, renamed the Northwestern News Report, relaunched on May 24, 1999. The following fall — with support from Medill's new broadcast chair, Joe Angotti, who helped make NNN a department priority — the Northwestern News Report began broadcasting on a regular, weekly schedule. Newscasts aired on Evanston Public-access television channel 6 on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. and on television kiosks at the Norris University Center throughout the week. A second night of the Northwestern News Report was added in September 2001. The newscasts were broadcast on Evanston Public-access television channel 6 on Mondays at 10 p.m. and Wednesdays at 9 p.m.^{[citation needed]}

NNN's Web site, nnntv.org, launched on May 22, 2001.^{[citation needed]}

NNN Sports Night, an NU sports highlights and analysis show, debuted on Oct. 10, 2002.^{[citation needed]}

In January 2003, NNN moved from John J. Louis Hall to its new studio across the street, the Garry K. Marshall Studio in the McCormick Tribune Center.^{[citation needed]}

The network began streaming the Northwestern News Report live on its Web site on Feb. 16, 2004.^{[citation needed]}

In January 2005, NNN broadcasts were added to the lineup of NU Channel 1, marking the first time students living on campus could watch NNN programming in their dormitory rooms.^{[citation needed]}

NNN has also produced several special reports, including Showdown in Kosovo, Election 2000, Election 2002, Operation Enduring Freedom and AIDS in Chicago.^{[citation needed]}

On March 31, 2001, the Northwestern News Report was awarded first place by the Society of Professional Journalists for a non-daily, student-produced newscast. On April 13, 2002, the Northwestern News Report was awarded first place Outstanding Newscast by the Illinois News Broadcasters Association. On March 25, 2006, nnntv.org won first place awards for Best All-Around Student Broadcast Station and for Online Feature Reporting. On March 15, 2008, NNN Sports Night won a first-place College Emmy Award in the Best Newscast category.^[2]

Programming

Newscasts

Mondays

• Northwestern News Report - 7:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. CT

Wednesdays

• Northwestern News Report - 7:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. CT

Thursdays

• NNN Sports Night - 7:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. CT

News Music

Package Show Composer Years Used NNN Music Package Northwestern News Report Jonathan Bloom (J00) 1999-2000 NNN 2000 Northwestern News Report Jonathan Bloom (J00) 2000-2002 River Music Northwestern News Report Paul Winter (WCAS61) 2002-2004 News in Focus Northwestern News Report John Hegner 2004-present Where the River Flows NNN Sports Night Collective Soul 2002-2004 The Defender NNN Sports Night Garrod and Hays (Megatrax) 2004-present Summon the Heroes NNN Election 2000 John Williams 2000-present References ^ Taren Fujimoto (2006-05-25). "Making a funny". The Daily Northwestern. http://media.www.dailynorthwestern.com/media/storage/paper853/news/2006/05/25/Play/Making.A.Funny-2013946-page2.shtml. Retrieved 2008-07-06.  ^ Ryan Dietz (2008-03-17). "Sports Night brings home first place College Emmy". Northwestern News Network. http://www.nnntv.org/viewstory.php?story_id_key=1703. Retrieved 2008-07-06. [dead link] External links Northwestern News Network NUTV Evanston Public-access television channel 6