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Radio, Television and Film

What is Radio, Television and Film?

Sony camera head w/Betacam SP dock recorder "From massive IMAX screens at international film festivals to the smallest screen in your pocket or on your wrist, the need for high quality, well-produced content has never been greater.

In the Radio, Television and Film program at San Diego City College, you'll get hands-on, technical experience working with the latest industry equipment to give you the skills to produce a wide range of content in preparation for transfer to a four-year institution or the careers of today and the future.

RTVF encompasses the fields of film, radio, broadcast news and multimedia production. The fields include all aspects of creation and production both behind and in front of cameras and microphones. You'll become knowledgeable in all aspects of the creation and production process while learning how to problem-solve efficiently and communicate your ideas effectively." -- Description from "Radio and Television," San Diego City College website, accessed July 22nd, 2020.

Image:Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported "Sony camera head w/Betacam SP dock recorder. Photo taken by grm_wnr on Feb. 17 2005."

Key Terms to Try

Before you start searching, you must identify relevant key terms for your topic. Below are a few examples of key terms to try for radio, film, and TV:

Screenwriting AM/FM Censorship
Casting Broadcaster Lighting
Mass Media Story Board News Reporting
Nielsen Ratings Staging Media Ethics

Here a few examples of radio, film, and TV-related search terms that you can use to find items in the library catalog. Note that adding the word "AND" will combine the key terms to give a narrower set of results:

Tips and tricks:

  • In general, search using one or two nouns, combined by AND or OR.
  • Do more than one search, using different words that cover the same concept.
  • If you find too much information, add a word. If you don't find enough, take one out or use a broader term.
  • Use an asterisk (*) to search for variations on a word. For example, searching for student* will bring up records on student and students.

Need some help with figuring out a research topic or the research process in general? We have guides for those too!

Start Research Here




Search Tips:

*OneSearch doesn't show you everything! Some databases, like those from EBSCO, are not included so you will need to search them separately.

  • To find Books, e-books and reference materials --> Use SDCCD Books+, A-Z Databases, or OneSearch
  • To find Textbooks for your class--> Use Course Reserves
  • To find Articles from journals, magazines, and newspapers --> Use A-Z Databases, EBSCO Articles, or OneSearch
  • To find Periodicals by title --> Use Journal Finder or OneSearch
  • To find Videos and media --> Use Videos link, A-Z Databases (choose Films on Demand, Swank, or Kanopy), or OneSearch

Off-campus Access Link

To get access to library resources from off-campus:

  • Students: When you click on a database/ebook link, you will be prompted for your CSID number and last name. Type it exactly the way you registered. You must be taking at least one City College class and have paid your tuition and fees. Problems? Email citylib@sdccd.edu.
  • Staff: You are not automatically added to the system from Peoplesoft. To request a login, or if you are having problems, email citylib@sdccd.edu.
  • Faculty: If you are currently teaching, you are automatically added to the system from ISIS. If you aren’t, or you are having problems, email citylib@sdccd.edu.

Common issues:

  • Some databases require that your browser be set to accept all cookies.
  • Security software may interfere with a database's user authentication protocol. You may have to temporarily disable it in order to connect to a database.
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