Every week the editorial board reflects on a current issue in Our View. The position taken does not reflect the opinions of everyone on the Hilltop Views staff.

St. Edwards University’s media front is new and forming with the potential for greater communication and creativity.

There are two new additions to student-run media this year— Topper Radio and Topper TV. Topper Radio launched this semester while Topper TV will launch sometime next spring. These two outlets are great additions to St. Edward’s blossoming student media life.

For years, Hilltop Views was the only openly student-run media outlet on campus. Newspapers are important, but in today’s ever changing media scene it is not enough for a university to only have one media outlet.

Students need the chance to work on a newspaper, radio, and television outlet to build their experience in these fields.

With shows like “Burnin’ the Midnight Gooey” and “Psychedelic Grind-A-Go-Go” Topper Radio has already considered varying genres and student interests. This will help the their radio program expand and succeed.

They are also visible on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr setting them in the trifecta of social media and visibility.

Their Tumblr contains opinion articles, such as “An Argument for Smoking,” that go through different channels than Hilltop Views. This is great because even though we pride our Viewpoints in this newspaper, it’s important for the student community as a whole to have other sources of opinions and information. It’s even greater if they disagree with us. Discourse will benefit understanding and the development of ideas. It’s also fun. 

While Topper TV has yet to launch they told us that they are planning to have an “Saturday Night Live”-like show, sports programs with live broadcasts of school games, and a show with a focus on pop culture. These will be great additions to our media.

Topper TV should consider other shows like a news orientated show that focuses on issues that affect students. 

Another show that would be interesting would be a political-focused show that would let students, left or right, debate about what’s going on in Washington, D.C. and at the state capital. This show could also be in the vein of “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report.”

Topper TV has the benefit of not only working on a diverse campus but also creating a channel in the context of an eclectic and busy city like Austin. Potentially Topper TV could send a correspondent anywhere in the city and something will crop up.  When the program gets up and running in the spring, it can cover SXSW, Eeyore’s Birthday Party, and the Zilker Kite Festival to name a few.

Most importantly Topper TV along with Topper Radio will have the platform to inform students about what is going on faster than posters and bulletin boards do now.  

Important school resources like the Counseling Center and the Student Disability Center can improve their visibility through Topper TV. School clubs can get broadcast their programs. Perhaps Topper TV can broadcast lectures on campus so that students who cannot attend could still view the important message. 

Overall, the opportunity is wide