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Pictured, from left, are Director of Sports Broadcasting Quinton Parker, Broadcasting and Journalism Chair William "Buzz" Hoon, WIU student broadcasters Michael Harms, Michael Dion, Zachary Martin, William Turkington and Collin Miller, WIU President Jack Thomas and College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Dean Billy Clow.
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WIU Student Broadcasters Debut Purple Blazers for Television Appearances

February 20, 2018

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MACOMB, IL -- Student broadcasters at Western Illinois University got an on-camera wardrobe upgrade over the weekend after the University's Department of Broadcasting and Journalism purchased embroidered purple blazers for students to wear while broadcasting football and men's and women's basketball television productions.

The idea came to WIU Department of Broadcasting and Journalism Chair William "Buzz" Hoon while he was visiting Brother Rice High School, in Chicago, over holiday break. Hoon visited the school at the urging of WIU sports broadcasting freshman Brendan Reidy, who attended Brother Rice. While attending a basketball game at the high school, Hoon said student broadcasters were wearing embroidered orange blazers while working at the game.

The WIU blazers were unveiled during Saturday night's women's basketball game in Western Hall. The students who received them were excited about the addition.

"It means the world to me being a broadcasting student professional.," said Collin Miller, a sophomore broadcasting major from Shorewood, IL. "Being able to do what I love and getting hands on experience is huge for my career going forward. I hope this valuable experience will help land me a professional position with a sports team. Overall broadcasting has helped me further my potential and chase my dreams of doing what I love." 

Junior broadcasting major Patrick Morris, of Lombard, IL, said the blazers are meaningful to him and to the program. Before the purchase, Morris said sometimes people did not recognize students as being part of the University's broadcasting team.

"When we first got to wear them, you see the logo and the inscription underneath, and it's just so cool to be like, 'yeah that's mine,'" he said. "I'm a part of the Western Illinois University sports broadcasting department. I do feel like a professional wearing it and it just makes my desire to pursue this career so much greater."

The purple blazers, embroidered with the WIU sweep logo, were purchased with money raised by the department through donations, including a price reduction offered by John Nelson, of Nelson's Clothing in downtown Macomb.

"When I approached John, he said he had the perfect purple blazer in mind and that he could order different sizes from the distributor," said Hoon. "John made these jackets affordable and we plan to recognize him in our credits during productions. Lil' Stitches handled the embroidery in no time and did a terrific job."

The jackets will be a reoccurring expense as student broadcasters come into the program and donations designated for sports broadcasting will pay for the additions.

"We plan to outfit our ESPN3 announcers for football in new jackets as well," said Hoon. "I believe this is a great investment in our student announcers. It adds to our presence and branding. All of the students are very excited and proud to wear the jackets. I feel it instills school pride and adds distinction to the position of TV announcer. No one will ever wonder where our ESPN3 announcers are on press row."

Hoon added that he hopes the jackets will help recruit new students to the program who aspire to be selected for the broadcasting positions. The new jackets will be awarded to the WIU football television announcers at the spring banquet for broadcasting and journalism.

For more information about the WIU Department of Broadcasting and Journalism, visit wiu.edu/bcj/.

Posted By: Jodi Pospeschil (JK-Pospeschil@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing