WOUtv launches new advertising campaign

Any student who has spent time in the Werner University Center (WUC) has probably seen the screens advertising events on campus.

What they might not know is that the videos shown on these screens are produced on-campus by Western’s digital media team at WOUtv. Bill Kernan, chief information officer, says, “WOUtv started from a need to have a central location for all the videos our Digital Media Producer, Deborah Resell, was creating.”

Michael Ellis, associate director of computing services, says, “Once we had a lot of videos, we wanted to make them accessible. We wanted an interface that was very usable, like YouTube, but also something that was very Western.”

“The original team that created WOUtv had five members,” said Kernan. “Our webmaster, Ron Swartzendruber, Danielle Gauntz, our web designer, Deborah Resell, our digital media producer, Michael [Ellis] and myself. That team came up with the basic model, and Danielle figured out the look.”

The first version of WOUtv underwent some changes, and the current version includes captioning on videos. Also, when students click on a video that is posted on any part of Western’s homepage, it brings them to the WOUtv site.

Ellis said, “One of the good things about this is that it allows the user to see all of our other videos. It shows all the great, fun things that go on at Western.”

One of the other features of WOUtv is the “My Lectures” page. This allows faculty to record videos specifically for their classes. Only those select students are able to view these videos, and they are only available after students have logged in using the WOUportal.

This innovative feature is sure to be popular with students and faculty alike. Kernan also added that a “future release of WOUtv will include functionality for students to self-publish video content.”

WOUtv is also launching a new advertising campaign aimed at students throughout the Portland and Salem area. It will feature screens such as the ones in the WUC, but placed in various locations and businesses.

“We are working with a company called Digital Maxx Media,” said Associate Provost David McDonald. Digital Maxx’s website describes the company. “We enable business owners through demographically targeted advertising to take advantage of today’s green approach to mass marketing.”

McDonald continued, “[Digital Maxx] has placed screens and readerboards in various high-traffic, high-end businesses. The screens run a 30-second ad, which is played constantly throughout the week for 12 months.”

The team at WOUtv is optimistic about the future, and will continue to expand and improve the program to better serve the Western community.