GH360.ca launches to showcase Media Studies students’ work

The news website produced by students in the University of Guelph-Humber’s Media Studies program has a new name and a new look: GH360.ca.

Formerly known as Radix, the newly relaunched website will showcase the diverse work of students in all relevant Media Studies streams, including journalism, digital communication and visual communication.

“I wanted a site where students from multiple disciplines and multiple classes could publish their work,” said Media Studies Assistant Program Head Kathy Ullyott, who is also faculty advisor on the project.

“I also felt that the website needed to be rebranded as something that said who we are.”

The revamped GH360.ca provides new publishing tools for students, so the website can feature video, audio reports, and photo galleries. The site also links to other Emerge projects, including the Emerge Media Awards, the Emerge Conference and Emerge Magazine.

GH360 doesn’t limit its scope to on-campus news. Instead, students are encouraged to find stories that would be relevant to UofGH students and also the broader nearby community.

So the website covers a diverse range of subject matter, with recent stories ranging from the big-screen accomplishments of a Humber College graduate to locally focused features about a craft brewery and an eye-catching mural.

“When I teach journalism, one of the things I try to get them to appreciate is what it’s like to write for a specific audience,” Ullyott said. “The idea is that it’s directed primarily at Guelph-Humber students but the mandate is to keep them up-to-date on events in the community to give them a sense of what our broader community is.

“This pushes the students to go out and see some of the really interesting things in the community.”

Ullyott sees the potential for further learning opportunities with GH360 in the future. Students specializing in media business might one day be able to help with marketing and advertising, while those studying public relations could perhaps work on an event portal.

“My hope is that it will grow,” Ullyott said.

The new GH360 is also looking for news tips and story ideas.