Industry-Current Facilities

4K Virtual Studio

In the fall of 2021, the Department of Communication launched the first 4k Virtual teaching studio in the state of Alabama. The studio and control room are outfitted to support 4K quality video and digital audio recording and production. Students in and of our concentrations now can flexibly produce live news broadcasts, entertainment content, or commercials for advertising or public relations projects. The redesign of the space is intended to better align with the versatility and growing integration of practices in professional communication.
Self Hall studio
 

Expanded Student Media Equipment Check Out

In the summer of 2021, the Department of Communication expanded their camera and audio recording inventory from 6 camera kits to 25 4K compatible camera kits, complete with support equipment for digital audio recording, LED lighting, and short- and long-range lenses. The department’s investment in the kits reflects an identified need to better facilitate students across all three concentrations being able to work in the field in producing content for projects across our curriculum.
student being filmed in studio

Renovated Apple Lab for Writing and Media Production

In the fall of 2021, the Department of Communication relaunched their compute lab in Self 184 with 25 apple processors, 32” 4K monitors for editing, and a complete compliment of Adobe Suite software to facilitate video and audio editing, as well as page layout and photo editing capabilities. In terms of audio and visual support for instruction, the room is now outfitted with 4 4K monitors to facilitate student review of video productions completed on our updated equipment and in our new studio.
Editing Bays

Podcasting Studios

In the Fall of 2024, the Department of Communication completed updates to the former offices of The Chanticleer in Self 124, transforming them into a dual chambered podcasting and flexible audio recording space in Self Hall. The space is now equipped with soundproofing, and being outfitted with flexible, modular furniture, as well as audio and video production equipment to facilitate both long- and short-form recording for audio and video podcasting.

The goal of developing the space is to support students’ need to be multimedia content producers in journalism, media production, sports media, and strategic communication. The renovation was a joint effort of the Department of Marketing Services and the Department of Communication.

Podcasting studio

Audio Production Lab and Advanced Audio Production Lab

In the Fall of 2024, the Department of Communication completed updates to both its audio production lab adjacent to the 91.9 WLJS studio and its advanced audio production lab. The audio production studio now reflects a more modern professional space and includes better sound attenuation to support recording of interviews and individual audio production work.

The advanced audio lab is now better structured to support a full production class in advanced audio production and is structured for more flexible use to support unique forms of recording, ranging from interviews, to musical performances, to gaffe work for video production projects, as well.

The goal in modernizing these spaces was to ensure an equitable body of support for our digital media production students skill building in audio production, and to expand the utility of both spaces across our degree concentrations, minor, and microcredential programs. The renovation was a joint effort of the Department of Marketing Services and the Department of Communication.

Strategic Communication Lab

During the Spring of 2025, the Department of Communication and Marketing Services will complete renovations to the department’s former physical library space, transforming it into a flexible designed “maker space” that can host 20-25 seat student courses in lab production or capstone campaign courses for the Public Relations and Advertising concentration.

The space will be outfitted to enable students to come in with their lab tops and field kits, to work in student groups on campaign projects, and to perform strategic communications research to support campaign projects.

Strategic Communication Research Lab

To support a more robust strategic communication research process in the program, the Department of Communication and Marketing Services are also renovating the adjoining space to the Strategic Communication Lab during the Spring of 2025 to support focus group, as well as message testing research as the program evolves and expands on its offerings to students in the program.