Garnet Media Group Garnet Media Group

By Sophie Wurster

GARNET MEDIA GROUP is USC’s home for print, digital and broadcast media. Garnet Media Group (GMG) is the partnership between the four student-run media organizations at the university: The Daily Gamecock, Garnet & Black magazine, Student Gamecock Television (SGTV) and WUSC-FM. There are also four support teams: advertising, creative services, marketing and podcasting. This allows students to see what the world of media production holds for them, and its viewers can see a wide range of media curated for broad audiences.

The Daily Gamecock is a student-run newspaper that publishes daily website content, daily email newsletters and three, monthly print editions each semester. Students have the opportunity to work for either news, sports, opinion, arts & culture, copy desk, photo, design or the engagement team.

Assistant Director of Student Media Sydney Cranmer started writing for The Daily Gamecock during her freshman year at USC. Beginning as an arts & culture reporter and opinion writer, she eventually became copy desk chief and editor-in-chief. Now, she works with students as a staff member and gives them the advice and resources they need to succeed.

“This is the only place where you can do anything you want,” Cranmer said of students’ freedom to make all content-related decisions for their organizations.

“There is no editorial-related decision that I make, ever,” Cranmer said. “I’m here as a person to give guidance, but I don’t decide what runs, I don’t decide who reports on what, and I like it that way!”

SGTV, the student television station, publishes on its website, YouTube and social media platforms. There are five branches within SGTV that produce news, sports, entertainment, short films and narrative television (1080C Productions), and sketch comedy (Carolina Tonight). Student opportunities like acting, script and news writing, reporting and video editing are available in all of these branches, with other media production work as well.

Nick Hill, a sophomore studying visual communications, served as SGTV’s marketing director and a photographer for The Daily Gamecock during the spring. Working both positions allows Hill to take the lead on social media projects for SGTV while being able to relax and enjoy his other interest, taking pictures.

“It’s kind of nice being in an (executive) role for one (organization) but then a regular staff member for another,” Hill said. “It’s very much different from the social media aspect. I don’t have to worry about uploading anything, I just have to worry about getting my pictures in.”

Garnet & Black Magazine produces two print issues a year (one per semester) and publishes online content throughout the academic year. The team of designers, photographers, writers and editors create longform articles and stories focused on issues of general interests in the Carolina community, with a special focus on social justice, arts, culture and local highlights.

WUSC is the university’s radio station, broadcasted on 90.5 FM and HD-1 Columbia, and reaches a 30-mile listening radius. WUSC is unique in that it is noncommercial and non-Top 40, so you’ll always hear something unique. Student DJs can host free-format shows or specialty shows which can focus on one genre of music or a certain type of content. WUSC also has five offices to get involved with including the offices of station manager, news, public affairs, music and programming.

Hill said that his favorite part of being a member of Garnet Media Group is the friends he has made within the organization. Since everyone is working under the same umbrella, he says it feels like all the students are a family trying to accomplish the shared goal of creating content.

Since his leaders are also students, it helps create a friendly, supportive environment. If staffers are busy with schoolwork, leaders are understanding and happy to determine solutions.

“We’re all students. So student-run is always a really nice aspect to it,” Hill said.

“The point is for our student leaders to have that hands-on experience, very near to a reallife scenario,” Cranmer said. “You get a good feel for that, and you build those skills, and you are better at that when you actually have to go out and do it in the real world.”

Garnet Media Group is open to any students of any major. There are opportunities for everyone to make friends and figure out what they genuinely enjoy doing.

“I wish I was in (Garnet Media Group) first semester freshman year because being a part of GMG, you really get to have friends. It’s like being put in one big house, and you just have to be friends,” Hill said. “I couldn’t have traded this experience for the world. I wish I could do it for another four (years) if I had the chance or the opportunity.”

To find ways to become involved in Garnet Media Group, visit garnetmedia.org/join.