Edtech splits with Tomcat to expand content

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The UST Education Technology Center (EdTech) is set to broadcast content produced by different University organizations through new platforms “TigerTV” and “Tiger Radio,” after separating with the Tomasian Cable Television (Tomcat), its former student volunteer group.

Faye Abugan, project head of the EdTech Digital Broadcasting Unit, said EdTech would work with more organizations to produce a variety of broadcast content.

“We [chose] to let go of Tomcat because we want a more diverse content. We want to invite organizations to produce their own content,” Abugan said in an interview with the Varsitarian.

EdTech, a department under the Secretary General and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, manages digital media and technology used by the University.

Tomcat was launched in November 1999 and worked under EdTech as the official broadcasting arm of the University before the split.

In a Facebook post announcing the split last July 16, Tomcat said the students’ use of the name became “problematic” for UST administrators over the years.

“‘Tomcat’ was used by the student volunteers to identify themselves, which [became] problematic, because ‘Tomcat’ was the name of the media outlet and not the volunteers,” it said.

The student volunteers were originally called “Tomcat Student Volunteers” but the name “Tomcat” stuck.

Tomcat’s consistency was also affected as its content become “erratic and unpredictable” amid to changes in the administration.

 

Shift to digital TV

EdTech will be using new technology in airing television productions.

“The rebranding was also necessary to highlight the technological shift the UST EdTech Center was making in its broadcasting function from analog to digital using Internet TV Protocol (IPTV) technology,” the post read.

James Navarro, president and chief executive officer of Tomcat, said Tomcat would instead utilize online platforms Facebook Twitter, and Instagram.

Because of the separation, Tomcat will be called the “Tomasian Media Circle and Talents” and will officially become a student organization. It will also manage events in the University.

The former Tomasian Cable Television will be renamed TigerTV under the management of the EdTech Digital Broadcasting Unit. The radio platform will be called UST Tiger Radio.

TigerTV will be launched in the second semester of this academic year.

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