Written by Alaina Wolf // Photo by Macy Cox
As one of Harding’s Centennial celebrations to report on during the school year, HU16 Live at Five chose to present the hour-long eclipse special.
Live at Five is a student-run news program under the supervision of Communication Department Instructor Noah Darnell and HU16 General Manager Mark Prior are the two supervisors that ensure each live program runs smoothly. While the newscast typically starts promptly at 5 p.m. each weekday, the total solar eclipse called for a longer and earlier show time with all hands on deck.
Senior Carter Thweatt anchored the show alongside seniors Mattie Powers and Bailey Coffman. As Thweatt has been a part of the HU16 Live at Five family for years, the eclipse special was a unique way to leave his mark on the community before his graduation in May. He said the University used the show on all platforms as its official live stream of the eclipse.
“I’m really grateful that Harding is letting us be the official coverage of the eclipse on all University channels,” Thweatt said. “It’ll probably be the biggest audience we’ve ever had, and more people will get to see the eclipse because of it.”
Thweatt explained how unique of a show it was, since the students who run the daily news show have a variety of majors and involvement across campus. HU16 offers the campus and extended community many live streamed forms of entertainment: sports events, recordings of chapels, unique concerts, recitals and special events.
“Not a lot of people even know how to create a televised news broadcast, so the fact that we can come together and do that is awesome,” Thweatt said. “I think the eclipse broadcast will be even more unique since it’s a special occasion outside of what we usually do, so I think it will be really satisfying to see it come together.”
Three reporters were posted for the program in different locations including Bison Park, downtown Searcy and outside of Heber Springs. One reporter, freshman Hailey Stevens, said she could not have had a more eventful freshman year at Harding.
“My favorite thing about HU16 is the creative freedom I have to come up with my own stories, and the ability to improv live with other anchors is really fun,” Stevens said. “This translates into the eclipse in that I can really kind of make my off site report what I want it to be. Noah has been super encouraging and helpful for giving me ideas of what to talk about based on the location and what makes the eclipse special.”
Another freshman who has grown into her role at HU16 is Lilli Burch. Burch said she enjoys working alongside the students of HU16 and expressed her appreciation for each student’s contribution to the newscast.
“I love the community of HU16,” Burch said. “I believe that every person who is part of the eclipse day will put in so much work and effort to make it be the best newscast Harding has ever seen.”
