BLOOMINGTON — The Media School at Indiana University and IU Radio-Television Services will begin a formal working partnership for administrative and collaborative efforts, the school announced Thursday.
Previously, RTVS reported the Office of the IU Provost, but will now report to the Media School. The partnership is collaborative-focused and after the change RTVS and The Media School will maintain distinct budgets, and all philanthropic support will remain separate.
Radio-Television Services includes WFIU and WTIU, which is a public radio and television station serving south central Indiana. The WFIU and WTIU newsroom will maintain its editorial independence.
RTVS also offers professional audio, video, and event production support to clients.
“The missions of our two units are complementary,” said Media School Dean David Tolchinsky. “We understand and appreciate the importance of serving the community through public broadcasting and are thrilled to partner with the stations. The Media School and WFIU/WTIU both see editorial independence as core principles and we look forward to upholding these together.”
Both organizations shared excitement for increased opportunities for student involvement. RTVS already provides internships and jobs to around 80 IU students, according to the news release about the announcement.
“This gives both organizations the opportunity to amplify our collective impact,” said Eric Bolstridge, director of content for RTVS. “By sharing our talents and resources, we will increase our capacity to create high-quality content in service of the mission of public media — while also providing greater service to the campus and our shared community.”
The change is immediate, although organizational structural details have yet to be determined.
This is the latest change at both the Media School and RTVS. In September, IU Provost Rahul Shrivastav announced the university had fired WTIU/WFIU's executive director and chief financial officer.
In September, IU Provost Rahul Shrivastav announced the university had fired WTIU/WFIU's executive director and chief financial officer.
Weeks after, the Media School administration announced IU Student Television, along with the Indiana Daily Student and WIUX—the three flagship student media organizations in the Media School—would converge financial operations into one multiplatform organization while maintaining editorial and brand independence
All three media organizations will become budget-neutral within three years of the plan being implemented, which IUSTV and WIUX currently are. However, based on their structure with the university, both organizations currently have limited revenue-generating capabilities under their structures.
With the student media merger, the IDS faces sharp cuts in weekly newspaper production. The paper, which once printed five days a week, has been limited to a weekly paper since 2020.
Student media organization leaders and Media School administration are still working out what that convergence would look like.
