Communication Department : Alumni News

Letter to The Observer, March 13, 2006

Man - seems like 2003 was just yesterday. Graduating in 2004 with a double major, Steve Allwine and I started a little show that we called "Ellensburg Extreme," in which I truly believe a bare few thought we could make it happen - but that we did. Leaving the show with over 13 regional and national broadcasting awards, I wasn't quite sure what would happen to the show. Would it continue being produced five times a quarter and keep CWU's leadership as an amazing broadcasting school? I hoped for the best, and it sure has come through. Now in Season nine of Ellensburg Extreme (ya, that's around 45 or so 30-minute fully produced shows), the third set of Executive Producers are keeping it just the same. They've continued winning more and more awards, and bringing together a team of hard workers to put the show together.

You might not know it, but Extreme takes more than 30 people to produce just one show - people who are getting little or no credit to work on something they truly want to do and receiving the accomplishments of their work after hours, sometimes days of work on just a three-minute spot for the show.

Quoted by Dr. Michael Ogden, "I never really thought Extreme would really go anywhere," from an Extreme interview during season four; we sure proved that if there is enough enthusiasm and work put into it, we could accomplish anything. Good job guys - you've made Central the best broadcasting school in the state - that's absolutely amazing.

Sure, there are times when things don't go so well (i.e. the canceling of an episode because of content judged not suitable for Ellensburg television), and when they go great (one spot from the show, "Guys in Towels Remix," is up for the National Broadcasting Society's top honor as Best Comedy Segment for this year's competition. The crew won it for 2005; I know we’d all love to see a repeat performance.

For what it's worth, I look back at attending Central and see nothing negative. Everything is a learning experience; just some are tougher than others. So here's to the rest of this season of Ellensburg Extreme (and many more seasons) from one of the guys that made sure this show got on the road. Thanks.

Kevin Tighe
Central Alumni 2004
Broadcasting Journalism Major
Film & Video Studies Major
Owner GC MultiMedia