La Salle TV is a Public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable television station that offers a Educational-access television channel run by La Salle University and carried within Philadelphia’s city limits on the Comcast Cable system. The station reaches over 300,000 homes and attempts to serve the La Salle University community and its neighbors with educational and entertaining programs. The station also serves as a hands-on teaching facility for students interested in the communication field. In 2009, La Salle 56 officially changed their name to La Salle TV due to a recent agreement with Verizon to carry the Student television station.
La Salle University gained the cable channel in 1991 as part of the franchise agreements between cable providers and the city of Philadelphia. Although originally operated by the Academic Computing and Information Technology Department, the Student television station was transferred to the Communication Department in July 1997, allowing the station to use the department’s technical facility and access more students majoring in communication.
La Salle TV features a variety of student-produced programs, ranging from collegiate sports to entertainment to social issues. Original student films are broadcast in addition to interviews with local and national authors, actors, musicians, athletes, and television personalities. As a service to those people who are unable to attend church, WPVI-TV's Mass is shown every Sunday during a late morning rebroadcast.
One full-time employee runs the station year-round with help from a small group of work-study students during the academic year. La Salle TV receives its funding through a portion of the Communication Department’s budget.
Programming
La Salle TV features a variety of shows, ranging from sports to movies to Sunday mass. During the typical academic year, the station generates nearly 100 original episodes, most of which result from eight regular programs. In addition, La Salle TV carries five regular programs produced outside the University.
La Salle TV airs programming about 16 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. The station usually plays programs from 10:00am to 2:00am and then switches over to the message board (see below) when programs are not airing. During the academic year when the majority of new programming is produced, each show is assigned a specific timeslot. Two-hour station masters containing non-dated material fill the remaining time. The hours between 8:00pm and 12:00am are used mainly for La Salle-produced programs only.
Current programming
Backstage Pass
Backstage Pass is back for another great season, ready to give you the scoop on all things entertainment. Join us for our bi-weekly editions that are sure to bring you everything you need to know about what's going on in Hollywood, from whether the newest spoof movie was a clunker (we'll bet you it was) to when Brangelina will be starting up its own family soccer team. Returning host Eric Donovan is joined by newcomer Danielle Ferrari, Mare Brennan, Christine Helmetag and familiar face Elijah Elliott as they do their best to bring you the latest in upcoming movie and cd releases, the biggest news in television, and maybe even a little harmless celebrity gossip. They'll even give you some tips on where to catch the hottest shows and concerts in Philly.
Insight
The La Salle community has some interesting stories to tell...and Insight is here to let them be told. Host Jon Caroulis invites La Salle faculty, staff, students, and alumni to sit down with him under the studio lights and discuss their work. Episodes have included everything from literature to the stock market to the military.
Philly Factor
Veteran radio newscaster Paul Perrello has been keeping the Philadelphia area up-to-date on the latest news, weather and traffic for the past 27 years. Now this La Salle grad is back at his alma mater to keep you up-to-date on the people affecting your city. Whether he's talking to a tax reform group or officers from the Police Athletic League, Paul is always looking for what concerns us here at home. The Philly Factor... bringing you the people making a difference in Philadelphia.
Q&A
Q&A is back for a new year with new hosts!! This year Jenny Gaus and Angela Cuzzolino are taking over La Salle's favorite game show. Even though they are new, Jenny and Angela promise to bring lots of laughs and fun while making it their own.
Shenanigans
Shenanigans is best explained as just one wacky game show. We take the best parts of your favorite game show and mix them together to get one awesome game show. So if you love people getting pied in the face, puppets, random trivia, and physical challenges with play by play. Then watch Elijah Elliott and Kevin Lankey deliver the madness.
Sportsline
ouldn't make it to the big game on campus this past week? Not a problem, with the La Salle Athletic TV show: SportsLine. Each week, join Kevin Lankey, Kerri Corrado and Laura Angelucci as they discuss the latest in La Salle Sports. This half-hour show provides highlights, stats, news, and an athlete interview segment. So tune in and 'explore' the action! Cross from the sideline... into SPORTSLINE.
Sportstalk Philadelphia
Sports Talk Philadelphia is a half-hour of pure Philadelphia sports madness. This unscripted panel discussion covers everything that has to do with the 2008 World Champion Phillies, Flyers, Eagles and Sixers. If you want real analysis from real sports fans that aren't in it for the money (we don't get paid), tune in to La Salle 56 TV and a half-hour of the best sports coverage in town. Produced by: David Grzybowski
The Studio
The Studio with Rebecca Petner and Eric Donovan is back for its second season on La Salle TV. Produced by Kayleigh Reed, Rebecca Petner, and Eric Donovan this biweekly half-hour talk show will leave you entertained and intellectually stimulated! Make sure to watch this season as the show defies normal viewing capabilities. Feel like you're there in the studio with Rebecca and Eric - smell Eric's body odor, and even hear the loud, piercing laughter of Rebecca with your own ears. Potential future guests include Bill Cosby (we've been trying to get him for a while now!), Bird on the Street, and of course, well-known La Salle students.
Upon Further Review
If you want a show that will look at every aspect of the world of sports, then "Upon Further Review" is the show you're going to want to watch. In its third year as a weekly show on La Salle TV, UFR just doesn't cover the biggest sporting events of the past week. "Upon Further Review" goes deeper in analyzing everything from trade and free agent rumors to potential fantasy star players. For all the latest coverage of important issues and games, you don't want to miss out as we further review every week in sports.
Your News Update
If you would like to get a short and sweet update of events and stories on the news, Your News Update is the show for you!! This new show discusses the recent headline stories that are affecting our country. From updates on the Presidential election, the war on terror, the issue of iIllegal aliens, rising gas prices, religion and education system. This show highlights the local, national and world news making this show worthwhile to watch. Don't miss out on getting your updated dose of news coverage!!!
Public Service Announcements
La Salle TV uses public service announcements (PSAs) as the station's commercial breaks. These PSAs include a wide range of non-profit and service groups, from the U.S. Armed Forces to Volunteers of America. In addition to using PSAs from outside organizations, La Salle TV also records its own PSAs that are produced by campus organizations and classes.
Message Board
The La Salle TV Message Board is used to present information about the channel and non-profit organizations when programs are not being aired. La Salle 56 uses this space to promote shows, give contact information, and acknowledge that it is public property of the City of Philadelphia. Other messages are displayed for non-profit organizations, including La Salle, that wish to reach the public. Music typically runs in the background while the message board runs at night or between programs. La Salle TV typically runs the message board each night from 2 am to 10 am.
Notable alumni
Grant Lodes '02 - Reporter at KRON-TV San Francisco, CA
Matt DeLucia '07 - Reporter at KVVU-TV Las Vegas, NV
Brandon Davidow '07 - Sports anchor at WPSD-TV Paducah, KY
Christina Stolfo '07 - Producer at News 12 Brooklyn NY
Ryan McCarthy '07 - Producer at KTBC-TV Austin, TX
Kevin "Casey" Feeney '06 - Producer at Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia
Ben Rosehart '06 - Sports anchor at KWQC-TV Davenport, IA
Meredith Marakovits '05 - Sports reporter at ESPN Radio New York, NY
Elizabeth Moors - Anchor at WAND-TV Decatur, IL
Kathy Reynolds '98 - News Director at WEYI-TV Flint/Saginaw, MI
Chris Keating '95 - Reporter at KSTP-TV Minneapolis, MN
Kim Davidow '09 - Reporter at WFMZ-TV Allentown, PA
Kale Beers '95 - Announcer for La Salle Basketball Radio Network
Awards and recognition
In 2006, seven La Salle 56 producers and talent (12 total from the university) participated in an internship with NBC Olympics during the Winter Games in Torino, Italy.
In 2007, La Salle 56 original program Focus on Philly was honored with the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Award for Outstanding Public Affairs Program. The winning entry, produced and hosted by Matt DeLucia ('07) focused on the city's rising homicide rate and the efforts of local residents and organizations.