By Amie Howell Daily Bruin Contributor Following at the heels of
the "Mike and Ben Show," UCLA’s channel 29 is set to air "Mainline"
and "Hall Riot" Â two new student-produced programs. In
addition, the station has re-launched "Getting it on with Matt and
John," the live televised radio show which now airs four nights a
week.
This introduction of new blood into channel 29’s programming
marks an expansion in UCLA television.
"Hall Riot," produced by students Mike Caroselli and Matt
Grimmer, will focus primarily on the punk music scene  as
well as skateboarding, surfing and related topics.
"(Matt and I) had been thinking about a show since seeing the
airwaves wasted last year on channel 29. We thought we could put on
something cool that people might watch," said Caroselli, a
second-year history student.
For Grimmer and Caroselli, the creation of "The Mike and Ben
Show" was a step in the right direction for UCLA television.
"Mike and Ben got the ball rolling, and we are hoping that will
turn out to be a big ball," said Grimmer, a second-year chemical
engineering student.
This self-described edgy and subversive program is not meant to
appeal universally, however, according to both Caroselli and
Grimmer.
"Our goal is not to find a ‘happy medium’ and have a cutesy show
that everyone will think is fun to watch. Leave that to MTV or
American Bandstand," Grimmer said.
Instead, these two producers choose to focus on UCLA’s punk and
hard-core fans, an audience they feel has been
under-represented.
"We would like to see the school’s punk scene pull together and
get involved with the making of the show," Grimmer said. "There is
currently very little coverage … in all of Los Angeles, let alone
UCLA."
It all boils down to representing the UCLA students’ interest,
according to Student Media Director Arvli Ward.
"We had planned all along to support as many worthy student
ideas as possible," Ward said.
"Hall Riot" will premiere tonight at 9:30 p.m. before "The Mike
and Ben Show." A new episode will air each Monday and will be
repeated through Thursday of that week.
Airing directly before "Hall Riot", at 9 p.m. is the new UCLA
news program, "Mainline."
The first newsmagazine to ever air on UCLA television,
"Mainline," seeks to cover everyday life on campus and in the
surrounding Los Angeles area.
"Mainline’ promises to give students a new perspective on their
everyday world, and I have no doubt in my mind that each and every
student wants to see what that new perspective has to offer," said
"Mainline" producer Marci Meron, a second-year communications
student.
This program has spent some time on the drawing boards, and the
concept has been in development since the 1999 spring quarter.
"(Mainline’) has gone through a number of refinements over time,
and we are proud that it’s ready to go," said Rizwan Kassim, a
second-year electrical engineering and
computer science student.
Covering a wide range of topics concerning student life, sports,
entertainment and more, the show not only concentrates on campus
oriented news, but on local city information pertinent to UCLA
students.
A weekly aspect of the show will be the "You see L.A." segment
of the program, which places a Mainline reporter in one of LA’s hot
spots to check out the scene.
Slated to be covered in the first few shows is an investigation
into dorm food, a wrap-up of UCLA basketball, a segment on desserts
in Westwood, a piece on UCLA based bands and more.
With interviews, access to on-campus facilities, and coverage of
the latest entertainment ventures throughout Los Angeles,
"Mainline" seeks to inform and entertain the UCLA community.
"Mainline’ employs the standard journalistic principles
associated with any news program to create the weekly show," Meron
said.
Like "Hall Riot," the newsmagazine will premiere a new episode
every Monday and run the same program through Thursday of that
week.
Unlike the two new shows, "Getting it on with Matt and John"
airs live Monday through Thursday.
A televised radio call-in show, the program features hosts Matt
Hirt and John Laun  with the addition of the show’s intern
Libby Stockstill.
Formerly aired only one night a week, student support led to an
increase in airtime.
"We placed a camera in the room randomly and the feedback was
instantaneous. People loved it, so we made it a daily thing,"
Kassim said.
To maintain a fun atmosphere, Hirt and Laun have themes such as
the recent "pajama night."
With the ability to call in, viewers can be heard during
broadcasting of "Getting it on with Matt and John" and have
opportunities to win prizes.
To celebrate the kick-off of UCLAtv’s new programs, a premiere
party will be held tonight starting at 8 p.m. in the Sproul Hall
Entertainment Center.
All students are encouraged to attend, and the party promises
free giveaways of food, drinks and prizes.
Both "Mainline" and "Hall Riot" will air for the first time
along with the regularly scheduled airings of "The Mike and Ben
Show" and "Getting it on With Matt and John."
This newly created lineup marks a broadening of possibilities
for representing UCLA students, according to Kassim.
"Students haven’t had an opportunity to see television made on
their own campus, and that is an important attraction," Kassim
said. "We were happy to expand our programming to include a larger
set of interests."
TELEVISION: UCLAtv (channel 29) will premiere "Mainline" at 9
p.m. Mondays, followed by "Hall Riot" at 9:30 p.m. "The Mike and
Ben Show" will air at 10 p.m. and "Getting it on with Matt and
John" will be shown at 10:30 p.m.