The Streaming Chronicles - Chapter 3
The 18-19 school year is officially over for me and most of my peers in Georgia. That means it’s time to get ready for next year.
I am a planner. One of the reasons I was hired was because I am a planner. My principal tells the story that one of my references told her that when I was in radio, I would plan our events “down to the ounce of sunscreen.” This carried over to my teaching career.
I have a plan for our live streams next year down to the sport, staffing needs, and budgeted down to the amount of money needed for supplies. We are going to produce at least 125 live events next year and I will pay students in the range of about $8,000 to help produce those games.
The reason I plan so far out is so I can make the streams happen. I need to sell sponsors, build kids, train students, and communicate with all of the teams. These things are imperative for a successful year.
I am working with the athletic director now to determine who we are going to pitch and what we are going to pitch them. I am doing this so that there is no competition in house. I have to have the AD on my side*. Not only for the sake of how we look in the community but I will certainly do something to step on someone's toes in the next year and I need for us to be on the same page to start.
If you do nothing else between now and the beginning of the next school year, sit with your AD and talk about your goals. Get on the same page and share some ideas. Try your best to make their goals happen in addition to yours.
Too often there is a bad relationship between video production programs and athletics. This is a direct result of lack of communication of goals. The two programs have the same goals they just have a different way to reach those goals - athletics usually measures in ticket sales and video measures in viewership. These two things are not mutually exclusive and can drive each other!
Meet the Author, Tom White
Tom White is the digital media instructor at Morgan County High School in Madison, GA. Currently teaching TV production and animation pathways, Tom's programs have received state and national honors including the 2016 NFHS Network School Broadcast Program Of The Year.
Prior to teaching, Tom was a marketing, promotions, and online content director for a major radio corporation in Atlanta. Tom studied exercise science at High Point University prior to his radio career. Despite his winding career path, his mother still thinks he is special.
