Texas Southern University News October 9, 2010 TSU and Comcast Now On Demand A first-of-its-kind partnership for Comcast and a major university to provide On Demand programming Texas Southern University and Comcast today announced a partnership to provide innovative cutting edge On Demand television programming for TSU and the community at-large. Through its partnership with Comcast, TSU TV ON Demand will provide diverse programs showcasing student and local talent. Comcast is providing the programming channel without charge to Texas Southern. This is the first time Comcast has developed this type of partnership with a major university. “This amazing partnership with Comcast will give Texas Southern the opportunity to showcase the excellent talent and creativity of our students,” stated Dr. John Rudley, TSU’s President. “We want to make sure that we shine a light on our students and faculty and that the community sees the quality of students that TSU produces. This is a clear signal that TSU is moving in the right direction and it gives us another opportunity for TSU to partner with the community and to focus on community issues.” Programming, slated for 30-minute blocks, will include shows such as: Welcome to TSU TV – the Kick off show for TSU TV. The program includes a welcome message from Dr. Rudley and Dr. James W. Ward, Dean of the TSU School of Communication, along with other community leaders. The TSU Informer – will bring Houston area journalists, newsmakers, politicians and community leaders together to discuss current relevant issues. Community Visions – hosted by Pam Wells, veteran broadcaster, will interview local and national newsmakers. The Connect – is a student/young adult entertainment show. This show will spotlight lifestyle, fashion, music, culture, and emerging technology. TSU Sports Live – will serve as a platform to spotlight TSU Sports and other sporting events in and around the Houston area. This show will also include interviews, projections, TSU football game replays, and coaches corner segments. Finally, Live from TSU - a unique interview concept will give viewers a closer look and deeper understanding of TSU history, schools, alumni profiles, and special events. “TSU On Demand is another way Comcast is using technology to make a positive difference in the local community showcasing a university that has served as a cornerstone for developing the greatest potential in leaders from various socio-economic, cultural, and racial backgrounds,” said Doug Guthrie, senior vice president for Comcast’s Houston region. “We’re always looking for new ways to deliver unique, local programming, and the added appeal of getting an inside look at a major university does just that.” State Representative (District 147- Houston) Garnett Coleman was instrumental in bringing TSU and Comcast together. He stated, “It’s a very important partnership. It allows the public to see the value of Texas Southern University and the quality of students. This is a big move for Texas Southern.” TSU On Demand can be accessed for free by Comcast Digital Cable customers. On Demand can be easily accessed by tuning into Channel 1. TSU On Demand is located under the Get Local menu option. According to Dr. Ward, “It is exciting. We have been working with Comcast on the partnership for awhile. We will be able to provide hands on experience in the field of communication and provide diverse programming to our students and to the community.” Preston Middleton, President of Next Wave Entertainment\Kefi\Universal Music Group, also assisted in facilitating the partnership and has served as the producer and student advisor of the new TSU TV Comcast programming. He is particularly proud of the work of his student team. “I’m excited about the opportunity for the students at TSU to get key broadcast experience through this Comcast partnership. I am very proud of our students and their tireless work in creating these highly professional and entertaining programs for our first series.” TSU On Demand is another unique example of the wide variety of original “Local” content Comcast offers in Houston. Like the vast majority of On Demand programming, “Local” content is free for Comcast Digital Cable customers and allows them to utilize interactive technology to watch whenever it’s convenient with the ability to fast forward, pause and rewind selections. In addition to TSU On Demand, Comcast’s On Demand service features the Houston Zoo, GED, Pet Adoption, Dating, Houston Rockets, Houston Dynamo and Police Blotter, as well as more than 20,000 programs every month, 3,000 in HD, including thousands of movies, network shows, sports and fitness programs, children’s programming, music videos, instructional shows, news and more. Most programming is free. About Texas Southern University Texas Southern University was founded in 1927 and became a state institution in 1947. Texas Southern possesses an impressive array of undergraduate and graduate programs, a diverse faculty, more than 80 student organizations, and an alumni network comprised of educators, entrepreneurs, public servants, lawyers, pilots, artists, and more, many of whom are change agents on the local, national and international stage. Nestled upon a sprawling 150-acre campus, Texas Southern has served as a cornerstone for developing the greatest potential in leaders from various socioeconomic, cultural, and racial backgrounds. Texas Southern is located in the heart of the city, giving its students and faculty easy access to the Museum District, neighboring educational institutions, the Texas Medical Center, downtown Houston, two major airports and all of the city’s major freeways. More than 9,500 students, along with nearly 1,500 faculty and staff, comprise the University’s community making it one of the nation’s largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.2 million video customers, 16.4 million high-speed Internet customers, and 8.1 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content. Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, 11 regional sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectator, which owns two professional sports teams, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, and a large, multipurpose arena in Philadelphia, the Wells Fargo Center, and, through Global Spectrum, manages other facilities for sporting events, concerts and other events. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0V4g3rCalQ SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org www.hbculibraries.org 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/meeting-form.html for the October 24-26, 2010 HBCU Library Alliance 4th Membership Meeting and the "Conference on Advocacy" pre-conference in Montgomery, AL. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.