To my way of thinking (based on the comments above) the Radio side of RTA is actually a good audio program that ultimately steers students in the program towards the business of Radio. The new SPIRIT Studio’s have been built as a Radio/TV hybrid steered towards distribution via traditional radio, via the Internet audio only, via streaming video and even HDTV quality traditional video that can go live to RUTV.

I think that is the way technological facilities should be built at Ryerson as it lends itself to a student experience that covers the pallet of story telling possibilities. Let the courses go wherever the faculty and students take them but I would encourage the students in the RTA program to develop their passions in their production work. Hopefully the University can continue providing facilities that address both the traditional and emerging opportunities in the area of Media porduction and distribution.

I don’t feel that things are so black and white when it comes to the content covered in some classes. The business of broadcasting has been changing on a continuous basis ever since I can remember. I started in TV way back in 1972 and Ryerson in 1977. I can tell you that the classes in RTA and the business models taught in RTA have changed with the times. The business model for Broadcast TV has rapidly diminished in the past two years, yet the business model for Digital Signage has increased exponentially during the same period. There will be a market for RTA grads but the high value positions won’t be in the traditional places.

You’re right around your concern about technological change. You’re also right that Academic programs are not and should be not be treated as a marketplace based on consumerist principles. However when organizations face cutbacks and administrators have to make quick decisions on how to handle them and its often the parts of the operation that get the least use that suffer. That might be what you’re seeing here.

….brad….

The current model is crashing, especially with the rumors Rogers is building an internet video streaming portal. So, I can understand why we need to push students in learning these new technologies.

But, the job of RTA is to teach us how to be storytellers using different types of media, the job of the student is to challenge traditional models and make something new out of it. Success stories such as Marble Media and the company who provides the videos on the subway platform reminds us that it is possible to just learn the basic skills but have the idea of applying it in a new direction.

What I honestly think we need is a 3rd year MRP/reading course, which allows students who are interested in not-very-interesting topics the freedom and guidance to look at a topic of their choosing and have someone who is knowledgeable in that area to give support. Granted, that also requires RTA to wake up and stop hiring industry professionals and instead hire people who actually are genuinely interested in following what is the future trends of media…

BUT if you consider what most RTA students want from the program, it’s courses on Radio and Television as the name suggests. I think student demand ought to count for something, especially when it comes time to decide which courses to kill.

Maybe you should try a program that is more focused on New Media theory and models.