Emerging media technologies, such as the iPhone, have radically changed sports broadcasting, and Chris Taylor wants to make Sports Link the premier destination for college students aspiring to work in the rapidly evolving sports broadcast industry.

The former director of athletic communications and marketing for Ball State has taken over the program designed to produce sports-related content for the university's multiple platforms such as radio, television, and the Internet as well as a variety of mobile communications formats.

"There are universities broadcasting student-produced television news programs, but there aren't many that have developed sports media initiatives that focus on preparing students in an immersive learning atmosphere to develop content for emerging media technologies," Taylor says. "We all know ESPN's Sports Center, but there are many other ways to provide information to fans, such as the podcast, vodcasts, and interactive Web sites, as well as cell phones and other hand-held devices."

Sports Link was developed as a pilot program in 2008, broadcasting 11 live sports events for television using the university's live truck, producing eight television shows and 73 feature packages on Ball State student-athletes.

The program has now expanded its coverage beyond Ball State. It is producing content for broadcast by Fox College Sports and provided video packages to the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the fall 2010 football season.

Sports Link has earned recognition, winning a 2010 regional Emmy for a feature on a basketball player. Previously, the program had been nominated for a regional Emmy for its football preview show about the university's football team that was nationally ranked and undefeated during the 2008 regular season. It marked the first time that a student-produced program has been nominated in a professional sports category.