La Salle 56
 | |
| Type | cable / Educational access |
|---|---|
| Country |
 United States |
| Availability | Philadelphia |
| Owner | La Salle University / City of Philadelphia |
Launch date | 1991 |
Official website | http://www.lasalle.edu/lasalle56/ |
La Salle TV is a Public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable television station that offers an Educational-access television channel run by La Salle University and carried within Philadelphia’s city limits on the Comcast Cable system. The station reaches over 300,000 homes and attempts to serve the La Salle University community and its neighbors with educational and entertaining programs. The station also serves as a hands-on teaching facility for students interested in the communication field. In 2009, La Salle 56 officially changed their name to La Salle TV due to a recent agreement with Verizon to carry the Student television station.
La Salle University gained the cable channel in 1991 as part of the franchise agreements between cable providers and the city of Philadelphia. Although originally operated by the Academic Computing and Information Technology Department, the Student television station was transferred to the Communication Department in July 1997, allowing the station to use the department’s technical facility and access more students majoring in communication.
La Salle TV features a variety of student-produced programs, ranging from collegiate sports to entertainment to social issues. Original student films are broadcast in addition to interviews with local and national authors, actors, musicians, athletes, and television personalities. As a service to those people who are unable to attend church, WPVI-TV's Mass is shown every Sunday during a late morning rebroadcast.
One full-time employee runs the station year-round with help from a small group of work-study students during the academic year. La Salle TV receives its funding through a portion of the Communication Department’s budget.
Programming
La Salle TV features a variety of shows, ranging from sports to movies to Sunday mass. During the typical academic year, the station generates nearly 100 original episodes, most of which result from eight regular programs. In addition, La Salle TV carries five regular programs produced outside the University.
La Salle TV airs programming about 16 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. The station usually plays programs from 10:00am to 2:00am and then switches over to the message board (see below) when programs are not airing. During the academic year when the majority of new programming is produced, each show is assigned a specific timeslot. Two-hour station masters containing non-dated material fill the remaining time. The hours between 8:00pm and 12:00am are used mainly for La Salle-produced programs only.
Public Service Announcements
La Salle TV uses public service announcements (PSAs) as the station's commercial breaks. These PSAs include a wide range of non-profit and service groups, from the U.S. Armed Forces to Volunteers of America. In addition to using PSAs from outside organizations, La Salle TV also records its own PSAs that are produced by campus organizations and classes.
Message Board
The La Salle TV Message Board is used to present information about the channel and non-profit organizations when programs are not being aired. La Salle 56 uses this space to promote shows, give contact information, and acknowledge that it is public property of the City of Philadelphia. Other messages are displayed for non-profit organizations, including La Salle, that wish to reach the public. Music typically runs in the background while the message board runs at night or between programs. La Salle TV typically runs the message board each night from 2 am to 10 am.
Notable alumni
- Grant Lodes '02 - Reporter at KRON-TV San Francisco, CA
- Matt DeLucia '07 - Reporter at WCAU-TV Philadelphia, PA
- Brandon Davidow '07 - Sports anchor at WCCB-TV Charlotte, NC
- Ryan McCarthy '07 - Producer at WTKR-TV Norfolk, VA
- Kevin "Casey" Feeney '06 - Producer at Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia
- Ben Rosehart '06 - Sports anchor at KWQC-TV Davenport, IA
- Meredith Marakovits '05 - New York Yankees clubhouse reporter for YES Network
- Kathy Reynolds '98 - News Director at WGME-TV Portland, ME
- Chris Keating '95 - Reporter at News 12 New Jersey
- Kale Beers '95 - Announcer for La Salle Basketball Radio Network
- Tim Moore '09 - Director at WNYT-TV Albany, NY
- Amanda Brothman '09 - Producer at WPMT-TV York, PA
Awards and recognition
In 2006, seven La Salle 56 producers and talent (12 total from the university) participated in an internship with NBC Olympics during the Winter Games in Torino, Italy.
In 2007, La Salle 56 original program Focus on Philly was honored with the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Award for Outstanding Public Affairs Program. The winning entry, produced and hosted by Matt DeLucia ('07) focused on the city's rising homicide rate and the efforts of local residents and organizations.