The Media Communications class was able to attend the Cavaliers Media Production and Journalism day on February 13. 

They were able to speak to panelists who are involved in the media aspects of the Cavaliers games and were given insight into the process of how the process of broadcasting the game works. 

They spoke to Rafael Hernandez Brito, the bilingual announcer for the games, Ryan Banks, the senior director of broadcast services, Jimmy Longo, the digital content producer, Matthew Eck, the executive producer and senior director of live entertainment, and Joran Van Dootingh, the senior manager of corporate communications. 

“I would say the speaker panel [was the most beneficial] because the speakers were very open and honest about the industry and they gave a lot of great tips on how to get started,” said Paul Taylor, the Four City Compact’s Media Communications teacher. 

They were given a tour of the area and were able to see the Fieldhouse Creative Studios with Matthew Eck where they could see the graphics and music that would be used during the game. Then, they went to the Cavaliers Audioverse Studios with Cheryl Zivich, the Bally TV Truck Compound USA with Ryan Banks, and the Fred McLeod Media Studios with Cherome Owens. The Media Studios showed where the players are interviewed before and after games and the set-up for it. 

After that, they were able to attend a Q & A session with Rafael Hernandez Brito to learn how being a bilingual announcer works.

“I think what I learned most was about Rafael Hernandez’s job,” said Cale Breuers, a senior in the Media Communications class. 

Around twelve or thirteen schools attended the event in total. 

“[My favorite part of the trip] was getting to see the reaction of the students when they got to do the tour and they were listening,” Taylor said. “And it was just a lot of fun. It was a different field trip experience than what they were used to.”

They got to see the behind-the-scenes parts of media production and then at the end of the night, they got to see all of it play out during a Cavaliers game, where the Cavaliers ended up winning 117 – 109 against the Spurs. 

“They got to see the behind the scenes and then they got to see it all unfold at the game and I think it made them realize there are a lot of jobs that go into this whole world,” Taylor said. 

To cover the events, one of the students shot footage of it for the announcements to recap what happened and another student made a vlog of the event.

He hopes to try to take them to a Guardians or Browns game in the future to do something similar to what they did with the Cavaliers. 

Along with people in the announcements clubs and people taking the Media Communications class, people who take Introduction to Broadcasting class will also be able to enjoy opportunities like this.