NBC’s Sochi Winter Olympics Coverage Looks For Gold
Huffington Post – Feb. 23
NBC Universal’s Sochi performance is partly measured in gold, too. Televising the Olympics is a complex, multi-million dollar business venture that seems to have more riding on it every two years. Beyond attracting millions of people to the broadcast network each night, NBC used the Sochi games to popularize streaming video, develop a cable sports network and launch entertainment programs. NBC was able to concentrate on these goals largely because pre-Olympic worries about terrorism, security and the safety of people uncomfortable with Russia’s gay rights laws faded when competition began. “If I’m NBC, and I’m looking at the biggest crisis being Bob Costas’ eyes, I think it’s been a success,” said Andrew Billings, a sports media professor at the University of Alabama and author of “Olympic Media: Inside the Biggest Show on Television.”
The Blade – Feb. 24
Portland Press Herald – Feb. 24
Fox 12 (Portland, Ore.) – Feb. 23
The Telegraph (Hudson, N.H.) – Feb. 23
ChannelOne News – Feb. 23
State expects to turn over Bryce Hospital grounds to University of Alabama by June
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 23
The Alabama Department of Mental health hopes to move into the new Bryce Hospital facility by early June, completing the move from the hospital’s historic grounds that were purchased in 2010 by the University of Alabama. David Jackson, chief operating officer for the mental health department, estimated the state would complete a phased move to the new facility by the first week of June. … UA purchased the Bryce property from the state in 2010, paying nearly $77 million for the 168 acres on the northeast side of campus and agreeing to pay another $10 million for environmental cleanup and historic preservation as part of an agreement with the state. As part of the deal, UA agreed to manage construction of the new hospital on the W.D. Partlow Developmental Center campus in Tuscaloosa and preserve the original Bryce building. … The university’s campus master plan proposes using the old Bryce grounds for new academic and residential buildings and recreational facilities while also preserving the green space of the main lawn.
Moving toward all Steinway all the time
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 22
The University of Alabama School of Music will replace about 80 percent of its existing pianos as it works toward achieving an “All Steinway School” designation. The school kicked off its “All Steinway School” initiative last month with the announcement it was starting the process to replace its rehearsal and performance pianos with Steinway instruments. “This initiative is all about students,” said Skip Snead, chair of the School of Music in the College of Arts and Sciences. “This is for our piano students, this is for our future students.” Currently, Snead estimates the initiative will cost about $3 million. Snead said the university committed $300,000 to the project last summer and added that the school has already received some donations since beginning fundraising. “We have moved several percentage points in the right direction,” Snead said. Seeking the designation has been part of an ongoing discussion among faculty and administrators for the past few years, according to Snead.
College News: 2/23
Tuscaloosa News – Feb. 23
Marketing students from the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce recently raised money and helped build a Habitat for Humanity home in Tuscaloosa for the second year in a row. The nine graduate students and faculty adviser Billy Hatmaker helped build and raise donations for the home for Tuscaloosa’s Audrey Harris as a class project called “Raise the Roof for Audrey.” Team members Jay Arnold of Rainsville; Mark Bertella of Birmingham; Claudia Calhoun of Rogersville; Cade Foster of Southlake, Texas; Kelsey Janssen of Huntsville; Chad Lindsey of The Woodlands, Texas; Wilson Love of Mountain Brook; Caitlyn Ryan of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and Austin Shepard of Buford, Ga., joined Hatmaker and J. Michael Hardin, dean of the Culverhouse College of Commerce, at the home’s dedication earlier this month.
West Virginians Who Matter: Nick Saban
Martinsburg Journal-News (W.V.) – Feb. 23
Editor’s Note: This is the ninth part of a 52-week series to run throughout 2014 on 52 West Virginians who made a difference and who matter. They are authors, entertainers, politicians, historical figures and others. One of the country’s most successful and highest paid collegiate football coaches is Nick Lou Saban, who was born in Fairmont on Halloween, 1951. A 2008 Forbes Magazine article called Saban “the most powerful coach in sports.” Saban is currently the head football coach of former national champion Alabama University. Saban, as a high school player, at Monongah High School was an all-state football quarterback and an all-state point guard in basketball. A graduate of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, Saban played defensive back and safety in football and on the university baseball team. The West Virginia native has coached at the college and professional football levels. His national championship at Louisiana State University in 2003 and his three national championships at Alabama give him the distinction of being the first college coach in history to win national championships at two different BCS schools.
Opera Theatre finds new home
Crimson White – Feb. 24
With the ushering in of the Spring semester came the final renovations to a 1969 chapel on The University of Alabama’s Bryce campus that transformed the building into Bryant-Jordan Hall, the new home for the UA Opera Theatre. The renovated building is a culmination of long-time growth for the opera program, inspired by Paul Houghtaling, associate professor of music and director of opera theatre at the University. Houghtaling said he has been striving to expand the opera program since his arrival in 2007. He credits the assistance and support of former University president and current chancellor Robert Witt, President Judy Bonner, Arts and Sciences Dean Robert Olin, University professor Tom Wolfe and Associate Dean Tricia McElroy for making the new opera space possible. “It’s really a lovely performance venue. It will seat around 225, has nice dressing rooms, and there will also be a state-of-the-art recording studio in there,” Houghtaling said. “The opera program is really honored to be its major tenant.” Students began rehearsing in the new space last week, and Andrew Nalley, a junior majoring in vocal performance, said he is excited about the implications of having a new building for opera theatre.
Hundreds turn out for UA fraternity’s bone marrow donor registration drive
NBC 12 (Montgomery) – Feb. 22
Hundreds of students at the University of Alabama joined together to save the life of an 8-month-old girl. Pi Kappa Alpha held a bone marrow donor registration drive Friday to help Hadley Mercer, the daughter of a fellow Pi Kappa Alpha member and University of Alabama alum. Hadley suffers from leukemia and she needs a bone marrow transplant but no one in her family is a match. The fraternity contacted other greek organizations on campus and asked them to encourage their members to sign up to be in the bone marrow registry. “Well Be the Match could only bring 300 swabs. We hope to get 3,000 and see where it goes from there,” Alex Coogan said. Members of the fraternity say this is the largest turn out they’ve had for an event such as this. The registration was done in partnership with Be the Match.
Student travels to Sochi to work Winter Olympics
Crimson White – Feb. 24
It’s 1 a.m. when Sophie Rhodes gets home to her apartment after working a 14-hour shift. The laptop she brought with her no longer works, so she must use her iPad to do her homework, which is due in the next few hours. It’s only 4 p.m. in the United States, but Rhodes is half a world away at the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Rhodes began working with the International Olympic Club during the London 2012 games, when she worked in the VIP lounge. A junior majoring in American studies, Rhodes is only attending The University of Alabama for one year, but when the opportunity arose to work at the Winter Olympics, Rhodes knew she could not turn it down. “Working at two Olympic Games has really been a privilege,” Rhodes said. “Both experiences are something that is unique.” … Margaret Peacock, professor of European history, specializes in Russian history and lived in Russia for many years. Although she never traveled to Sochi, she said she heard from many residents of its beauty and said the negativity Russia has received is not a good depiction of Russia as a whole. “I think that the bad press is far more reflective of the people who are writing the news than the people who are running the events,” Peacock said.
Students help with lake cleanup
Crimson White – Feb. 24
University of Alabama students, professors and a few Tuscaloosa city workers spent five hours cleaning up Lake Tuscaloosa’s shores Friday, Feb. 21. Mary Pitts, professor and director of undergraduate studies in the geography department, helped organize the event. She said the cleanup is funded by a grant under the Clearwater Act. This is the cleanup’s second year, making it phase two of a three-phase period. Pitts said they have seen student interest increase each year. “We’ve had growth and interest in the cleanup every year since it started. The first year we had about 10 students or so, last year we had about 20, and this year we almost doubled it at 37,” Pitts said. “First we opened it up to Club Geography. Then we opened it up the geography and biology department, and we even have some psychology students out here. One thing that is key is I added the clean-up to SLPro. This way, it just makes things easier for students to log their hours and get credit for the work they do.”
Seat belt use is required in other vehicles, but why not school buses?
Monroe News Star – Feb. 23
The effectiveness of seat belts — both lap belts and shoulder straps — in reducing injuries and deaths in automobile accidents is widely documented in studies and backed up by anecdotes from first responders. But when it comes to requiring seat belts on school buses, safety experts are divided … A 2010 study by the University of Alabama study drew a similar conclusion, reporting that “enforcement by the driver is almost impossible” and quoting drivers’ concerns that they could be held legally liable if a child was injured while not using his or her seat belt properly.
Lafayette Advertiser (La.) – Feb. 23
Engineering professor makes name for himself in musical world
Crimson White – Feb. 24
Alan Lane is not the typical chemical engineering professor: He doubles as Doobie “Doghouse” Wilson, singer and songwriter. With a head of gray hair and a face framed by a matching beard, Lane started performing for audiences late in his life. Having learned guitar in middle school, he kept music tucked away for his spare time and developed a career in chemical engineering. Lane realized, late in life that if he didn’t start performing for an audience before turning 50, he never would. That moment 12 years ago, Lane decided to take his performances beyond his basement. “I just enjoy playing,” Lane said. “At age 48 I started going to open mikes. It’s just a way to get out, enjoy playing, meet other musicians and that sort of thing.” Lane’s first performed at the songwriter’s night at Hales Tavern, which is no longer on The Strip. After a few visits over the summer, he found the crowd small and comfortable enough to try playing. The audience gave Lane a positive response, and he’s been performing for people ever since.