CTV serves new series for fresh fall lineup

Finding nothing good to watch on TV this fall? CTV, Columbia’s local TV station on Channel 37, has an ambitious line up for the new semester. The station, known for its two long-standing programs “CTV News” and “Sofa,” will be premiering four new shows this fall.

“Loupe,” one of the new programs, is unlike other CTV programs in that the emphasis is on Columbia’s professors, rather than its students. Each episode is an extended interview with a professor about the professor’s area of expertise. “The idea of the producers was to really expose some of the cool professors that we have here that not all students will get to meet or take a class with,” said Ariel Karlin, BC ’10, one of CTV’s co-presidents. The show premieres Thursday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m.

“Film Forum,” executive-produced by Jason Alarcon, CC ’10 , will allow budding student filmmakers to showcase their projects at Columbia, whether the films were made independently or for class. Although there will most likely be an emphasis toward undergraduate filmmakers, episodes will occasionally also preview graduate students’ films. During the course of an episode, the hosts will interview the filmmakers on the production of each project.

And, because every good station needs a reality show, CTV has launched “GreenBorough House,” a new series that will focus on one of Columbia’s special interest housing groups.

Karlin describes the show as “students who are exploring how to build an environmentally-focused community at Columbia.” Viewers can think of the show as something akin to environmentally friendly “Real World” with stellar recycling systems in place of a raunchy Jacuzzi. The first half of the show will follow the trials and tribulations of some of the students living in the house as well as a few of the events that the students are holding this semester and will air in either late October or early November. The second half will be shown sometime before winter break.

To round out their offerings, CTV has started a fictional show. “Mouth,” as the name suggests, will explore the body part we use for speech. It will be a few short episodes featuring “some … puppetry, and an alien scene, and lots of fun stuff,” said Karlin. It is centered around one boy who is unable to close his mouth. A teaser of a few scenes will be shown at the end of this semester and the show will premiere in the beginning of the Spring 2010 semester.