Albany Student Television

Albany Student Television (ATV) is a student-run television programming and online video content provider in Albany, NY at the University at Albany. Albany Student Television is a rapidly growing student organization at the University at Albany.
About
Albany Student Television has been a part of the University at Albany since 2001. The primary goal of ATV is to provide UAlbany students with a diverse collection of televised content. After its creation in 2001, ATV was just a small department of the UAlbany Student Association. In 2008, ATV was essentially reinvented and it prospered under new leadership.
History
1997-2001: The Idea
The idea for a student-run television organization at UAlbany started in 1997. Will Platnick had the idea of broadcasting student-created content on one of the channels that broadcast to University at Albany students living on either the uptown or downtown campus. Will took it upon himself to see his idea through as he contacted school administrators to discuss content, copyright issues and of course, how to financially support the project.
2002-2003: The Creation
In 2002, Albany Student Television was created, and it affectionately became known as "ATV". ATV operated out of the UAlbany Student Association and as a department of Student Association, they received funds to pay for equipment as well as an office to work out of.
ATV was broadcast to students on UAlbany's closed-circuit television network on channel 46. "Speak Out" became the very first ATV show and was available to students by watching channel 46 from their dorms or on-campus apartments.. Despite this, Joe Bonilla, the CEO of BASKnickerbocker Inc. took it upon himself to reinvent ATV by assembling a new collection of cast and crew to headline ATV's forthcoming line-up. To help him with his daunting task, John Dias was given the position of Assistant Director to assist Joe in reinventing Albany Student Television's image and reputation.
The new Director decided to search for a crew first by interviewing students in the Communication major and Documentary Studies major at the University at Albany. It was then that Joe Bonilla first met Mike Allen and shortly after Zach Johnson who would become major parts of ATV in the coming months. Mike Allen was appointed the position of Operations Adminitstator and Zach Johnson was given the position of Associate Director for Production.
The next step was to find a fresh new cast. Assistant Director John Dias was able to e-mail all students in the Communication major to notify them of ATV's impending auditions. A week later, dozens had showed up to audition in the Campus Center. It was here that J.B. Biunno, a future Director of Albany Student Television was first introduced to Joe Bonilla and John Dias. Other notable individuals who were at those same tryouts included Todd Schlegel, Jenae Bonlarron and Tammi Landau.
With the cast and crew assembled, ATV was ready for action. Director Joe Bonilla set his new cast and crew for the premiere of a new show, Wake Up Albany. Wake Up Albany is ATV's morning news and talk program featuring John 'Mel' Dias, J.B. Biunno, Jenae Bonlarron and Tammi Landau. The premiere was on November 5, 2008 the day after President Barack Obama defeated Senator John McCain in the 2008 Presidential Election. The show gathered a large audience and was even featured in Albany Times Union.
Under Joe Bonilla, ATV had become relevant on the UAlbany campus once again. The ATV website gets tens of thousands of hits per month and has become a part of UAlbany lifestyle. Wake Up Albany, NewsNight, ChitChat, SportsReport and UAlbany in Focus became the main featured shows for ATV.
2009-Present
On May 3, 2009, J.B. Biunno was elected as Director of Albany Student Television for the 2009-2010 year. Todd Schlegel was elected in as Assistant Director.
For the first year ever, Albany Student Television will not operate as a department of Student Association. Instead, ATV will exist as an independent student organization at UAlbany.
One of J.B.'s first acts as Director was to revise ATV's flagship program Wake Up Albany. For the 2009-2010 academic year, the show will be renamed ATV 360 and it will be produced as an evening and night news program.

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