April 2, 2024
The Nido R. Qubein School of Communication has undergone some major changes in the last year.
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The School of Communication earned itself a brand new and improved TV studio after water leakage damaged equipment and the space used to create its student newscast. After months and months of construction and repairs, the NQSC TV Studio was open for use. Brand new state-of-the-art equipment, an LED virtual reality wall and custom made anchor desk were all part of the TV studio’s unveiling for the new and improved space.
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Along with the brand new TV studio, the student newscast as a whole has been given a new name. What was once known as “Q News” has now been officially renamed and is currently in the process of rebranding.
Q News will now be called “NewsPoint”, and the newscast’s sports segment will have the similar name of “SportsPoint.”
Dr. Bobby Hayes is the Department Chair for Journalism in the School of Communication, and he says the newscast was due for a name change.
“Some people in our community felt like there was some brand confusion with other entities that also used the letter Q prominently in their names,” Dr. Hayes said. “And with the new studio opening and a company willing to throw new graphics packages into the mix of new equipment, we thought the timing was right to seek a new name.”
The name change process started among the senior administrative staff along with the Journalism and media production staff involved with the news operation. Students involved with the newscast were also asked for their ideas and suggestions. There were numerous names put in the pot such as: 24 News, Panther Press, Panther News Network (PNN) and HPU 360 – just to name a few. After spending the semester bouncing names back and forth, NewsPoint and SportsPoint were officially decided on.
“We wanted something that touched upon the High Point name in some way, if possible,” Hayes said. “NewsPoint felt like the most direct hit of what we were trying to capture: news about the greater High Point University community.”
The new name will come with a new graphics package, so the student-led newscast will have a new brand and look. Finishing touches are being made on the new logo, and Dr. Hayes says the HPU community could potentially begin seeing the new name before the end of the semester…but at the latest, it will be in full effect by the start of the school year in August.