Promo Rumors Clarified

Promo Rumors Clarified

By Joanna Domson

Sentry Staff Reporter

A TV Studio promo is sure to brighten anyone’s day, but rumors have been floating around saying a “blacklist” of sorts is restricting the cast of these informational videos.  Many students think that administration has banned certain individuals from appearing on promos due to their reputation for using illicit substances or engaging in illegal activity.  This potential “blacklist” brings up issues of privacy and makes some feel uncomfortable.  Activities Director, Mike Kruelfeld, clarified the rumors.

Anti substance abuse promos are an annual occurrence around homecoming season.  Students enjoy watching the parodies of popular songs while also getting a friendly reminder to be smart at homecoming.  This tradition started years ago when the administration found there were substance abuse problems in several dances.  And so the tradition began.  Unfortunately the reputations of people in the promos have come into question.

“Over the years there have been concerns, more recently, about some of the kids in SGA who are putting on the dance being good role models, but then the kids in the video not necessarily being the best kids, perhaps, to be giving an anti substance abuse message.  So that has come to various peoples’ attention almost to the fact that [the promos have] become a laughing matter,” said Kruelfeld.

Kruelfeld presented TV Studio with two options: either do a video with an anti substance abuse message and make sure the people involved pass the credibility test, or produce a simple homecoming video with nothing to do with substance abuse.

After Kruelfeld’s discussion with the TV Studio, members met with Kevin Bridwell, their teacher advisor and discussed their options.

“I met with the TV Studio crew and let them decide what they wanted to do.  The students themselves decided that ‘you know what, I think I might dilute the message.’  I think it is important to allow the students to make the decisions on what is and is not appropriate within certain guidelines, and in this particular case I think they made a very wise decision,” said Bridwell.

The most important thing to realize is that no privacy was breached in order to make this decision.  The members of TV Studio dropped out or decided to be in the video completely of their own accord.  There was no censorship on the part of the administration, Kruelfeld simply wanted to make sure the videos that are being put out reflect the message they are conveying.

“It would be very hard pressed for [the administration] to decide who should be in and out of those things.  I rely very much on the students good judgement on that,” said Kruelfeld.

Those students that pulled out of the video will not be absent from all videos in the future.  Students are encouraged to be a part of any other videos.  It was the message of this video that required further examination of the cast.

“[The TV Studio staff members] are absolutely encouraged to be in any other video, and to produce videos, and to make poignant statements and look at students rights,” said Bridwell

The TV Studio should be commended for the hard work they put in to create the Dailies and also produce a promo in such a short amount of time.  The fact that they could pull this all together in one day, follow Kruelfeld’s options and also keep with tradition is quite admirable.  It is clear that they work hard to please both the administration and the student body.

“I will say that I do appreciate and admire the fact that they were able to produce something so quickly given that homecoming was so early this year and this discussion happened relatively late.  But it is a discussion we will have in the future every year, because it is just something that as a school we do not want to be producing a video, that then becomes public, where you have people in the video who do not pass the credibility test for whatever reason, whatever the video is about,” said Kruelfeld.

 

Story continues below advertisement
Leave a comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *