New BronxNet East TV studio opens at Mercy College

New BronxNet East TV studio opens at Mercy College
Photo by Walter Pofeldt

If you want a career in television, a new studio right here in our borough can help make your dream a reality.

On Monday, October 5, BronxNet launched a new state-of-the-art television studio facility at Mercy College in the Hutchinson Metro Center with hundreds in attendance for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., Mercy College president Timothy Hall, BronxNet chairman Paul Gentile, BronxNet executive director Michael Max Knobbe attended Monday’s prestigious welcoming ceremony for the satellite studio located at 1200 Waters Place.

The satellite studio dubbed ‘BronxNet East’ has a state-of-the-art control room; an express studio; media labs with a picturesque view of Mercy’s courtyard and other media capable spaces allowing students, interns and employees the opportunity to gain exposure to the daily work cycle of the media industry.

It site will provide media training such as studio, field and documentary production and digital filmmaking to Bronx residents.

Knobbe explained Mercy College students as well as high school and college students will have the opportunity to participate in media career preparation internships at BronxNet East helping them develop real world media skills as so many have at BronxNet Network Operations and Studio at Lehman College.

This studio will also allow Mercy College educators to share information and ideas with television and web-viewing audiences through BronxNet and Mercy College programs.

“The new BronxNet satellite facility at Mercy College at the Hutch Metro Center is the borough’s windows on the east Bronx and activities at the location will help prepare future media leaders, encourage innovation and spur more community building through workforce development, media technology and unique programming,” said Knobbe.

“When looking to the world of media, we would like to see students from Mercy College and the Bronx become leaders in this industry and BronxNet East could be the perfect pipeline for them to achieve this,” said Borough President Diaz. “This is a day we should all be proud of and the expansion of BronxNet is worth celebrating. No one will be able to tell our borough’s story better than us.”

For 21 years, BronxNet, has provided Bronxites with media production training, access to technology and cable television channels while helping them connect with the world around them.

“This is a big day here at Mercy College as, through our partnership with BronxNet, it will help our school’s faculty, staff and students share our knowledge of the arts, science and much more through our programming to be shared with our community,” said Hall.

“What BronxNet has been doing with Lehman College students for these many years was unbelievable and this is an amazing opportunity for our students, faculty and staff to learn about the media industry and we’re thrilled to be part of this new experience,” said Catherine Cioffi, Mercy College public relations director.

“Having BronxNet East here in our community is a great opportunity for our kids in the east Bronx to experience the day-to-day operations of TV and radio and it will open their minds to many new ideas and experiences,” said John Marano, Community Board 10 first vice chairman.

For more information on BronxNet’s programs and services, contact (718) 960-1180 or visit www.bronxnet.org.