From left, UTSA political science graduate students Mariscela Aguirre, Tim Weste and Minnie Haynes.
Students begin research in new media and elections studio
(Nov. 4, 2002)--Six UTSA political science students began work this semester in the new Media and Elections Studio housed in the Department of Political Science and Geography. The studio consists of six televisions, six video recorders and a video editing suite used to monitor political programs and advertisements.
Supervised by Amy Jasperson, assistant professor of political science, the students will analyze local and national political programming and advertising. The facility, which will serve as an independent study resource for faculty and students, includes a growing database of political materials from broadcast and print media.
Above, from left, are three of the five students involved in the project: Mariscela Aguirre, Tim Weste and Minnie Haynes, who are graduate students. Students not pictured are graduate Isabel Long and undergraduate Natascha Pronevich.
"We're very excited about the new studio," said Richard Gambitta, chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography. "The only similar projects are at Harvard and the Annenberg School at University of Pennsylvania. We will have the capacity to make political documentaries and give the students practical experience in editing materials. The students will actually be able to do the things they read about."
"I'm confident that we are building an excellent research resource for UTSA with great potential for success," said Jasperson. "We have a few items on our wish list, including a TV camera, so we appreciate any contributions."
The studio is a reality due to Jasperson's successful negotiations with Time-Warner Cable to provide free cable service and additional infrastructure and other support by UTSA students, administration, the College of Liberal and Fine Arts and the Office of Information Technology.
Each student is focusing research on a particular political race. Aguirre is monitoring print and broadcast ads in the Texas gubernatorial race and analyzing differences in the ways the candidates target Anglo and Hispanic voters. Weste is analyzing the U.S. Senate race, while Haynes is observing the lieutenant governor's race. Long, a former Chilean radio broadcaster, and Pronevich, who is from Bellarus, both bring international perspectives to the project.
For more information, contact Amy Jasperson at (210) 458-5431.
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© The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2002