The economy-changing potential of innovation for the region is now on show for all to see in a multimedia package assembled by third year UOW broadcast journalism students.

The special, entitled INNOVATIONIllawarra, focuses on the innovative ideas and practices emerging from the Illawarra.

Not all the clips feature UOW research but the special does provide an opportunity for leading scientists such as Professor Gordon Wallace to outline the cutting-edge new technology his team is working on at the Innovation Campus.

Journalism Program Convenor, Shawn Burns, said the students were challenged to identify and report on innovation in the Illawarra.

He said they could choose from a variety of categories including technology, health, education and training, culture and sport.

The students then went about sourcing potential interviewees and had to shoot, write, do voice overs and edit their own items.

Mr Burns said items featured were individually assessed by the class and based on suitability were chosen for the special.

“This is part of the Journalism Program’s ongoing commitment to experiential learning. It allows students to learn by doing, and to learn by reflecting on their practice,” he said.

The package was directed and edited by Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies student and UOWTV Managing Producer, Rowan Kmetyk.

All the students worked as a team to write and record the links between stories over an entire day in Week 14.

One of the students involved in the project, Andrew Pearson, said there’s an ongoing perception that Wollongong is simply a steel city and nothing else.

“The idea behind INNOVATIONIllawarra was for us to show the community that there are plenty of innovative concepts being devised and produced locally every day,” Andrew said.

He said the challenge for the class was to come up with a wide variety of innovative projects that would allow them to put together a bulletin that “covered all the bases”.

“I think we have achieved that with a bulletin that reflects all aspects of the Illawarra – from an app turning your mobile phone into a game controller to a new coffee blend.”

Andrew said the whole venture had added an extra dimension to his skill base.

“I’ve always wanted to be a print journalist but after completing this project and other UOWTV video reports it’s really opened my eyes to the world of broadcast journalism.”

He said it was great being able to get the ‘scoop’ with a couple of the stories produced including one he undertook himself.

Andrew highlighted how the world of journalism is changing and how students needed to adapt to the changing media landscape and move towards digital and online media.

See INNOVATIONIllawarra multimedia package.