Mako Media Network achieves “excellence” in journalism

By Mike Lynn •

Mako Media Network, recently re-branded from Student Media, is housed in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts.

Now as an academic program in DCMA, MMN won several journalism awards in 2023-2024.

Chris Delboni, director of Mako Media Network, has been leading MMN for two years, and could not be prouder of the changes and accomplishments of MMN staff.

“We won awards, but most importantly, we built a strong team of young journalists and a family,” Delboni said.

MMN consists of three outlets: The Current, NSU’s student-run newspaper; Mako Radio, NSU’s student-run radio station; and Mako TV, NSU’s source of student-run broadcast journalism. Mako News is the digital edition of all MMN productions. The newsroom can be found in the Don Taft University Center Room 328.

 

The Current

During the fall 2023 semester, The Current debuted a new layout design and launched a new website, found at makomedia.nova.edu.

Eric Mason, digital faculty adviser, said that the Mako Media website features additional content outside of the printed newspaper.

“If we can’t fit it in the paper, we can at least put it on the website,” Mason said.

The Current’s reporters and editors cover a wide range of stories, including news, features, health & wellness, arts and sports. The Current’s staff also includes an editor-in-chief, graphics designers, a business manager, a distribution manager and a web editor.

Bryce Johnson, editor-in-chief of The Current and MMN graduate assistant, said that The Current made him a better reporter, writer and editor.

“I feel like I’ll take the things I learned with me in the future by being a leader and being decisive in what I do,” Johnson said.

The Current publishes every other Thursday, and can be found across NSU’s Davie Campus, regional campuses and online at makomedia.nova.edu.

 

Mako Radio

As a college radio station, Mako Radio receives music submissions regularly and charts up-and-coming musicians with the North American College & Community Radio – NACC 200 Chart.

Mako Radio also interviews local and up-and-coming artists who share their music with the station.

“College Radio is supported by the musicians that send in their music and a lot of them – if not, a majority of them – are independent artists,” Alex Hernández, station manager of Mako Radio, said.

Mako Radio has a free-form programming format, where DJs choose their own genre of music to play live on the air, giving every DJ slot a unique identity.

Mako Radio is also regularly commissioned to DJ for in-person events in NSU’s community.

Mako Radio can be heard on 88.5 FM Monday through Friday from 6-9 p.m. and during the lunch hour on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday throughout the academic year, broadcasting from the Rosenthal Student Center in room 140. During lunch hour, Mako Radio also has multiple podcasts that can be heard on Spotify, such as “Off The Record,” “The B-Side” and “That’s News To Us,” featuring special guests throughout the semester.

Mako Radio can be heard on the livestream at makomedia.nova.edu/mako-radio and on WKPX 88.5FM Sunrise.

 

Mako TV

Mako TV airs a variety of news packages, focusing on news, sports, health & wellness, and arts. The news packages are included in the bi-weekly, once every other Friday, newscasts, consistent with The Current’s publication dates.

Mako TV staff can often be seen covering stories on campus. The team includes camera operators, reporters, producers and editors, as well as news anchors. They are in the field, in the editing suite or in Mako TV’s studio in Don Taft University Center Room 236.

“We do broadcast journalism, so Mako TV prepares me for what I’ll be doing in the future,” said Madison Kasper, general manager of Mako TV. “Whether it’s production or reporting, I get to do more of that hands-on experience now rather than later.”

Mako TV’s news stories can be found at www.youtube.com/@MAKOTeleVision.