The nonprofit, noncommercial public television station, located in the basement of Northern Michigan University’s Harden Hall, had its first major renovation last month in the main studio, Studio A.

WNMU-TV is a member of the Public Broadcasting Service and produces local programs such as Ask the Doctors, Media Meet, High School Bowl and Public Eye News.

WNMU General Manager Patrick Lakenen said that the plan to build a new studio has been in the works for over a year.

“Studio A was using movable sets and we wanted to do something different, something a little more modern,” Lakenen said.

The studio’s green screen setup is pictured. (Photo courtesy by Bryson Krieger)

Lakenen said that beyond the set, updating the lighting was another facet of the renovation. Before renovation, WNMU-TV had incandescent lights — now the studio operates with LEDs.

“Rather than just doing the set, we decided to incorporate as much as we could and we kind of just chipped away at it until we could get all the pieces in place,” Lakenen said. “We didn’t think it would take a year, but that’s how long it took and we think the results are good.”

Lakenen said that the studio has been well received by everyone. The first broadcast that was done on the new set was the student-run daily newscast PEN.

“We thought that it was important for the students to be the first ones, since we are a public service of Northern Michigan University, to use the set,” Lakenen said. “Obviously our students are involved in our other local productions, so without our students we wouldn’t be able to function.”

PEN is a 15-minute news broadcast that is produced, directed and hosted by an all-student crew. Students work from 2 p.m. until the show airs at 4 p.m. throughout the week during the school year.

The area where people worked the telephones during call-in activities is seen. (Photo courtesy by Bryson Krieger)

PEN member Michael Cudahy said the new studio has helped open doors for future students and help the show look more professional.

“It’s been awesome, the new set will allow us to try new things and break a news norm or two to see how we can all put our little touch up on it,” Cudahy said in an email. “I think this new studio is great for the kids that are here for the years to come.”

PEN coproducer Andrew Hoover said that the new studio has provided more opportunities for creativity and storytelling.

“We’ve gone from something kind of bland and restrictive to a set that is a lot more flexible, figuratively and literally, since most of it is on wheels,” Hoover said in an email. “We’re working with something that is malleable and more professional and polished looking.”

The new studio has also seen an increased amount of participation, according to PEN coproducer Megan Tarcea.

“More students on campus are becoming aware of the facilities we have to offer and taking an interest in what PEN has to offer,” Tarcea said in an email. “With the new professional look on air, more students are also more interested in learning what it’s like to be in front of the camera.”

Tarcea said the club has started to shift focus on letting students learn how to get behind a camera and go out and make packages in the community like they would if they worked at a station off-campus.

For more information on WNMU-TV, visit online at wnmutv.nmu.edu.

Dreyma Beronja can be reached at 906-228-2500 ext. 248. Their email address is dberonj@miningjournal.net.