May 9th, 2023, a group of Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) Communication and Public Relations students visited Lithuanian TV and Radio broadcaster "LRT" studios to acquaint themselves with the work of journalists. For many it was the first time that they visited a news organization.

The Master's Degree Public Relations management and Communications and Creative Technologies students were accompanied by Communication Institute Lecturer Aurelia Juodytė and investigative journalist representative Mindaugas Aušra. They went on a tour of LRT's TV and radio studios and were familiarized with journalists' every day life as well as preparing a TV and radio news segment. Some moments from historical archives were also presented. This was the first time that many of the students visited LRT studios, but some students from abroad said they had visited news organizations in their home countries.

Student Eugenie Cynthia Eyana Mouandjo from Cameroon said she was amazed by how modern the news facilities at LRT were and that there were 600 employees working there. It's a diverse group of journalists working smoothly together and each having a role to fulfill, she noted. Some appear on screen, while others work behind the scenes. They work hard so that in the digital age, traditional journalism would continue to remain relevant and interesting.

The first stop at the offices of LRT was in the TV Department which includes: a programme dept., a creativity center (with TV operators group, sound editors' group and editing group), programme production dept., a TV technical dept. Many of the students for the first time saw how the LRT Studio, and other studios and halls look. They got a look at the studio where TV productions are filmed like "Panorama" nightly news and the quiz show, "Auksinis Protas," as well as concerts. Students had the ability to "try on" anchor roles, to see how shows are produced and broadcast and see what a live production looks like. That behind-the-scenes look is something many viewers never see. The studios, in reality, appeared much smaller, than they do to viewers on TV and this fact surprised many students. 

Later students were acquainted with LRT's Radio Department. The Radio news team includes: the reporters' group, the info programme group and the programme head group. Students could take a look around an old radio station and see the new stations now used such as LRT Radio, LRT Classics (music) and the LRT Opus radio show studio.

Students expressed gratitude to Lecturer Dr. Juodytė and journalist Aušra, who helped organize the visit to the national LRT broadcaster.

 

Text prepared by MRU Communication Institute Assoc. Prof. Gintarė Žemaitaitienė.