Bus riders can now receive local news thanks to University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's PantherVision, broadcast daily on Milwaukee Transit Television.
"PantherVision allows people to see what's going on at UWM," said Tom Luljack, vice chancellor of university relations at the university.
The idea to broadcast PantherVision on Transit Television is the brainchild of UW-Milwaukee journalism professor and Marquette alumna Maryann Lazarski.
"It was an idea of mine after speaking to people who ride the bus," Lazarski said. "I proposed the idea to Joe Caruso who was looking for local programming."
Caruso, spokesman for Milwaukee County Transit System, said PantherVision made its Transit Television debut in October.
"It encourages Transit Television to develop local content. The use of PantherVision makes it more interesting for people riding the bus, who otherwise would be seeing the same content that is broadcast in Orlando and other cities where Transit Television airs," he said.
PantherVision produces a number of stories and then repackages those stories individually to be broadcast on Transit Television. It takes less than a week from the time UWM sends stories to Transit Television until it is aired.
"PantherVision does not air at a fixed time. Scheduling varies from day to day," Caruso said.
Currently, PantherVision tends to air during the morning commute hours.
Lazarski said she would like to work with Transit Television to have the stories air during times when students are more likely to be riding the bus.
Lazarski said the mission of the transit television broadcast is to cover what is happening in the neighborhood near the university and issues that affect people living in the area.
"For people who don't attend college, this shows what's going on around campus," Luljack said.
Besides providing local news, PantherVision is a public relations tool for UW-Milwaukee.
"High school students may see the broadcast on the bus and realize we have a strong journalism program," Lazarski said.
Luljack added PantherVision has the potential to boost the university's reputation.
"We're proud these students are from UWM. It provides one more view of how our university can contribute to the Milwaukee area." Luljack said. "It is great for the city at large to see what college students can do."
PantherVision gives journalism students an outlet to express what they have learned in the classroom.
"It provides a showcase for the work our students are doing," Lazarski said.
UW-Milwaukee does not pay Transit Television or the Milwaukee County Transit System to air PantherVision because it is not advertising, Caruso said, and PantherVision does not receive compensation either.
While Marquette University Television has no official plans to follow suit, the station has taken its own steps to reach out to the surrounding community by making its broadcasts available online, according to one of the station's managers.
Jenna Santoianni, general manager for MUTV and a junior in the College of Communication, was not aware PantherVision was broadcast on the buses, but said she would be interested in finding out more about it.
"We're always looking for ways to get the word out about MUTV and what's going on at Marquette," Santoianni said.
New this year, MUTV broadcasts are available online.
"People can view our sports, entertainment and news broadcasts online," Santoianni said.
This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Mar. 1 2005.