Who’s News @ IC Journalism – Kaiden Chandler
An interview with a Journalism minor at Ithaca College, Kaiden Chandler, that includes why he came to the college, and what he has accomplished. Featuring Ithacan Year End Review Editor Ray Milburn.
Multimedia Journalism – Esports at Ithaca College
Ithaca College has steadily been growing and fostering opportunities to produce Esports-related content through the Roy H. Park School of Communications. The Esports Club began in 2019, allowing students to play games competitively and casually. A show called Bombers Live Esports was also created to broadcast tournaments the club was a part of. This show would not last past 2021 though, due to many tournaments being shut down around then. Despite this, in 2024 a new Esports Lounge would be established in Friends Hall with the equipment and studio space necessary for broadcasting.
Then, in 2023, Professor Alex Estabrook created the Esports Content Production class. Having worked at ESPN for ten years before teaching media arts and sports media, Estabrook has noticed a lot of similarities between Esports and regular sports content. He believes that Esports content is an untapped opportunity for students to learn broadcasting skills.
The Esports Content Production class balances its time between the Esports Lounge and Studio B in the Park School, making use of multiple setups, technology, and types of games. The students, much like other similar classes, allow students to hop between different rules of broadcasting. Students can practice live commentary while spectating games, cutting between cameras, operating the audio board, and even directing.
Estabrook’s efforts in the classroom have already been paying off. In the Spring of 2026, students Cade Salyer, Brendan Fernandez, and Claire Kobidze have been working to bring back Bombers Live Esports. Fernandez noted how Estabrook has been instrumental as a mentor in getting them to the point their show is at. The trio are working hard to bring back the show, working closely with the Esports club to bring their events back to ICTV. Salyer noted how the show seeks to fight stigmas around competitive esports and video games. This show and Professor Estabrook’s class are coming together to create a great environment for esports content production at Ithaca College.
Audio Production at Ithaca College
Audio is a core part of film, television, advertising, and any form of digital media. While sometimes overlooked in favor of visuals, when audio is done poorly, it is easy to take notice and break a viewer/listener’s immersion. At Ithaca College, students are provided with numerous opportunities for learning audio and radio production that range from extracurriculars to full classes.
In terms of classes, the Audio Production minor gives students access to classes in both the Roy H. Park School of Communications and the Whalon Center for Music. Claire Caton, a student at the Park School and Audio Production minor, described the Whalon Center classes as having less to do with the technology and physics of sound and more so the history of music. She was glad to have taken classes through Whalon to give her unique opportunities outside of her major.
Caton’s main interest in audio is composing music, one of the most notable forms of audio in a film. Music can shape the emotional pull of a scene and make the viewer feel what the directors intended. She has also learned how to design the sound of a sequence, balancing music, dialogue, and sound effects in Avid Pro Tools.
In terms of radio production, there are no longer classes that deal in radio production as the Television and Radio major evolved to become Television, Photography and Digital Media. Therefore, students looking to learn about radio instead join one of the two radio stations at Ithaca College, WICB and VIC.
These stations broadcast music and podcasts to the local area and are open to all students on campus to join. While these stations only have around 30 people compared to ICTV, the college television station, with around 600 members, they fulfill a niche that otherwise goes unseen at Ithaca College.
Rowan Keller Smith, a writing major and the station manager for VIC Radio, loves the opportunities they were given through the station. As a lifelong fan of radio and alternative music, Keller Smith is very thankful for the opportunities they have had to learn about broadcasting and how to be a DJ.
In more opportunities outside the classroom, student films and ICTV shows are always in need of at least one audio person as a sound recordist, mixer, or even sound editor. Simply knowing a good sound person can go a long way for student creators to help make their films the best they can be.
Students are in no short of opportunities to learn about audio, with professors like Mireille Heidbreder also working behind the scenes to keep evolving the programs. More importantly, the students and staff involved in all these opportunities are recognizing the importance of good audio and will continue to do amazing work in the industry.
Shea Harrison 