Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

46° Evanston, IL
Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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Year-old NUTV receives mixed reviews from students, staff

One year after Northwestern launched NUTV cable on all computers hooked up in dorms, Information Technology officials say they are pleased with its performance.

“I think that everyone — (the Office of) Student Affairs and IT — are very pleased with how well NUTV has performed and the limited number of problems it has had,” said Tom Board, NU’s director of technology support services. “The service is meeting the goals that we had set out for it.”

The implementation of NUTV has prompted other schools to consider the option of a similar server-based cable system. At Harvard University, students have submitted a proposal to the school’s housing committee to use digital cable on computers, modeled after NUTV. Harvard’s network is configured differently than NU’s, and the success with online cable television can’t necessarily be replicated there, according to the Harvard Crimson newspaper.

Despite talk of launching an NU-specific channel that would show Northwestern News Network, on-campus speakers and sporting events, IT officials don’t have plans to expand television access next year.

Board said there are few specifics as to how an NU channel would be implemented.

“I would say that the situation is still being defined and nothing is settled yet,” he said. “(The) odds are in favor of adding an NU channel, but not much detail is available at the moment.”

Jeff Campbell, outgoing news director for NNN, said there appears to be little movement toward putting the student-run news station on NUTV.

“When NUTV started, we believed NNN would be on this year,” said Campbell, a Medill junior. “But as the year went on, it became clear that it would be next year. Everyone has expectations for next year, but those expectations are high because it seems like everyone is passing it off.”

And some students still say they would prefer to have traditional cable through the television rather than the computer.

“I wish it was actual cable where I could do more than one thing at a time, like Instant Message or check e-mail,” said Marissa Teicher, a Weinberg sophomore.

Other students say they enjoy the cable as long as students do not incur extra costs .

“I watch more TV than I did last year, but it’s nice sometimes,” said Britt Gordon-McKeon, a Weinberg junior. “I don’t think I’d pay extra to watch it but since it’s already there, I do.”

Justine Pierce, a Weinberg sophomore, said watching TV cuts into her study time.

“It’s nice to have it,” Pierce said. “But I could definitely live without it,” Pierce said.

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881
Year-old NUTV receives mixed reviews from students, staff