Professor criticizes SU commercial

Dear Editor,

Our wonderful and most historic football team, under the fantastic leadership of coach Dino Babers, is on the path of success for the Syracuse University family. With this success, the incredible power of television broadcasting, and its ability to reach the audiences of the world in presenting the Syracuse football story is amazing.

The television networks provide, at halftime, the promotion opportunity of a lifetime for the competing universities to present a most compelling and magnificent 30-second commercial designed to tell the university’s story.

The Syracuse University vs. Clemson University football game this past Saturday was broadcast at high noon — Primetime, lead off game for the American Broadcasting Company/ESPN for millions of viewers all over the world.

I watched the game, “bled Orange” and held my breath hoping for victory.  At halftime, feeling very positive, my next television agenda item was to see the halftime television promotional spot for our most outstanding university.  Yes, the airing of the 30 seconds that would tell the Syracuse University story, and the greatness of our university.

Once the television spot was aired at halftime, I said to myself, “what an embarrassment for a university that is number one in the world for developing the greatest mass communication professionals in the business.”

The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, where I spent nearly four decades serving as a professor, and teaching the art and sciences of the full academic spectrum of this most incredible industry of television and radio broadcasting, should have been in the overall production and creation loop, with regards to the development, writing and producing of the 30-second television halftime spot. That would’ve truly projected the Syracuse University story in a major market Emmy award winning fashion.

So for now, “go Orange,” and let’s get a high quality television 30-second spot on the air for our future televised football and basketball games that will project the total greatness of our SU family.

Sincerely,

Roosevelt “Rick” Wright, Jr., Ph.D., CAPT., USNR(ret)

Professor Emeritus – Radio, Television, and Film

S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications