By Sarah Eisenmenger

[email protected]

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​When you surf through the tube, you might notice a familiar television station moved down a channel.

The UK student-run television station Channel 50 can now be found on channel 49 as Wildcat Student TV. The program was forced to move channels after Insight Communications decided they needed to move stations around to allow for additional ones and for future digital programming needs.

Insight had originally arranged for Channel 50 to be changed to channel 69, a move that Channel 50 did not agree with.

“We decided that channel 69 was not a good option for us, so we asked for something different,” Chris Thuringer, student media adviser of Wildcat Student TV, said. “Ultimately, the university agreed to give us channel 49 and they moved one of their channels to 69.”

The staff at the station agreed it was content with the new channel. The switch gave them a chance to “rebrand” themselves. Through an online poll, the station chose the new name “Wildcat Student TV.”

“UK Athletics (at first) cited its rights to the Wildcat brand and name … they stated that we would have to reconsider a new name for the station entirely, but then later they stated it was OK if we used the name as long as we inserted ‘student’ … so Wildcat Student TV was born,” Justin Stewart, station general manager, said.

The new name is meant not only to remind people the channel is produced and run by students, but also that the programming and information is geared toward them.

Thuringer said even though you’ll be pressing different numbers, Wildcat Student TV hasn’t really changed.

“It’s really the same as when we were Channel 50 in that our mission is to entertain, educate and inform the campus,” Thuringer said. “We entertain through showing movies … we educate through specific programming … and we inform through the campus announcements we air throughout each day.”

Along with their usual programming of new movies and shows, such as “Sports Zone” and “You Know Your SG,” the channel hopes to start filming live on location at events like DanceBlue.

Stewart said the channel offers an outlet for student organizations to promote their efforts and gives Lexington businesses “an opportunity to come in contact with the UK campus community.”

“We are looking to reach out to more students on campus in an effort to connect and entertain,” Stewart said. “We hope to be an outlet to help better connect the campus and connect student organizations to the student body.”

Students can get involved with the station by attending the general interest meeting Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. in room 106 of the Student Center, where the show’s producers will be present to answer questions about the programs.

For more information on the new Wildcat Student TV, including a full programming schedule, visit www.wildcatstudenttv.org.

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