If you have never heard of Cable 13, you are not alone. In the past two years, the student-run television channel has aired few shows and advertised little about its existence. But a new chair, junior Mike Marion, has plans to revamp the station.
"Obviously, the station has had its share of problems in the past, as most student groups experience," Marion said. "The first thing we're going to do is give the station a whole new image. Two major problems are that people don't know it's here and don't know what Cable 13 is."
Marion has already begun planning major changes by increasing the frequency of staff meetings. Junior David Lang, producer and host of Cameron Corner, a Cable 13 sports talk show, said he believes this is a step in the right direction.
"Since Mike's taken over, we've had more executive meetings, produced more shows and generated more enthusiasm for the show than I can remember in [outgoing station chair Jessica Tracey's] two years," Lang said.
Tracey expressed optimism about Marion's potential, naming specifically his knowledge of the station's technical side and his ideas for increasing production and publicity.
Junior Brady Beecham, president of the Duke University Union, which oversees Cable 13, agreed. "His leadership style is different from [Tracey's], and his priorities and experience are different and will take Cable 13 into new and better pastures," she said. She added that the station has been successful in its teaching mission the past two years but that the cost of equipment and labor required make it difficult to air shows.
Marion said he intends to work on these obstacles. "I think we're going to take a serious look at our programming," he said. "There are two aims of the station--the production side and the presentation side. The airing of shows on TV needs to be revamped completely. People have no idea of what kind of shows are on."
Many students confirmed that they had little knowledge of the station--Rob Jannusch, a senior, questioned, "It's the default channel, right?"
To help increase visibility, Marion plans to advertise both the broadcasting schedule and new and upcoming shows. He said he hopes a more regular schedule will prove the station more dependable.
Another major change will be recruiting more students to the station, Marion said. "We're open to anyone here. We're starting a show right now that's going to be a take-off of Jackass. We have very little requirements of what we can put on."
Lang said the station has potential to improve dramatically if more students get involved. "I think Cable 13 can serve its mission, which is a vehicle for creative students to learn how to make television by making it," he said. "It's there for the students."
Next year, the station will air new shows, as well as more episodes of its existing shows: old movies, programming from other universities, telethons and old basketball games from the archives.
Students said they hoped the changes would bring better shows. "I think if it was a well-run show, I'd watch it," said sophomore Jonathan Ross.
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