ϳԹ and Fairfield University Announce Media Partnership
FAIRFIELD, CT (February 8, 2022) – ϳԹ and Fairfield University have announced a new partnership to provide opportunities to Fairfield University students to learn from and work alongside experienced television, radio and digital journalists, many of whom will be based at Fairfield University’s campus. The partnership will also expand Fairfield County’s access to public media content through television, radio and digital platforms.
This new partnership includes a content distribution agreement for WVOF 88.5, which will broadcast weekly top of the hour newscasts from 9a –to 3p, in addition to Morning Edition and All Things Considered “drive time” news programs, and ϳԹ’s daily and weekly talk shows, including Where We Live, The Colin McEnroe Show, Disrupted, Audacious and Seasoned. Fairfield University will also provide occasional use of the WVOF studio to ϳԹ for special television and radio broadcasts. This agreement allows consumers from Greenwich to Bridgeport uninterrupted coverage on 88.5 FM.
ϳԹ President and CEO, Mark Contreras, commented, “Our partnership with Fairfield University represents an important opportunity for ϳԹ to expand our public service mission to the residents of Fairfield County, while also providing practical experience and support for the next generation of journalists and storytellers. We are committed to telling the local stories of all of the communities of Fairfield County on television, radio and on digital platforms, in ways we’ve never been able to before and are thrilled to be partnering with Fairfield University.“
In addition, ϳԹ will provide several Fairfield University students internship opportunities. With Fairfield University’s new Arts & Sciences Guarantee—a distinctive fellowship which provides up to $2500 in support to each student who secures an approved unpaid internship—this partnership will help offer practical, real-world experiences to Fairfield students, and fulfill ϳԹ’s mission to train the next generation of media professionals.
“As we move forward on the path to national prominence, innovating our academic programs while introducing scores of new programs and learning modalities—we continue to leverage our investment in the digital media space and develop more industry partnerships with organizations such as ϳԹ—to reach broader audiences and elevate our student experience with hands-on career opportunities,” said Fairfield University President Mark R. Nemec, PhD.
ϳԹ will have an on-campus presence in Fairfield University’s new state-of-the-art Media Center, providing students with organized and ad hoc opportunities to connect with working media professionals through special events and job shadowing.
“As Fairfield University expands its offerings in communications, digital journalism, and sports media, we are excited for this new partnership with ϳԹ,” said Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Richard Greenwald, PhD. “Fairfield’s newly renovated Media Center, now home of the College of Arts and Science’s Communication, Media Arts, Film, and Broadcast program—offers a variety of professional studio spaces and production equipment, including a video production and screening room, animation and graphic design software, post production suites for editing, coloring, and sound mixing, and a large mobile satellite uplink production truck.”
About ϳԹ
ϳԹ is home to ϳԹ Television (CPTV) and ϳԹ Radio (WNPR). Together, ϳԹ serves nearly one million citizens each month through ϳԹ Radio and ϳԹ Television, as well as through our many digital and online platforms. Through our mission to inform, educate and inspire the people of ϳԹ, we connect people of all ages to high quality journalism, storytelling, education and experiences, and amplify the voices of our diverse communities. ϳԹ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with an $22 million annual budget, funded primarily through community support from individuals, foundations and corporate sponsors.
About Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a modern, Jesuit and Catholic university, rooted in one of the world’s oldest intellectual and spiritual traditions. More than 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 36 states, 47 foreign countries, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are enrolled in the University’s five schools. In the spirit of rigorous and sympathetic inquiry into all dimensions of human experience, Fairfield welcomes students from diverse backgrounds to share ideas and engage in open conversations. The University is located in the heart of a region where the future takes shape, on a stunning campus on the ϳԹ coast just an hour from New York City.