by Joe Salvati
and Alan M. Danzis last updated: 8/1/02 2002-2003 Over the summer of 2002, Danzis (who would be named president of TGN for 2002-03) and Salvati, the TGN vets were rolling out new ideas for a bigger and better 2002-03 season. In late July they suffered a serious setback. Burly Bear Television, the syndicated company that produced most of TGN 70’s programming had gone out of business. TGN 70 still had one more year on their contract and Burly TV was seen as something that could fill airtime for TGN’s first five seasons. Still a new network it would be difficult to fill the void left by Burly TV with original programming. Quickly, Danzis came in contact with ZILO television. ZILO, like Burly Bear is a college-oriented television network that gained popularity from showing its original programs on Internet only broadcasts. ZILO and TGN developed a fast relationship and a contract was immediately signed to replace Burly Bear. With one problem solved going into their sophomore season, TGN also had to consider developing new programming. Fate Date was a given, the hit show on the network was ready to fly for the new season. A re-vamped Newsroom under the new management of Kristin Haneschalger and anchor Marisa Brahney was scheduled in 2002-03 as well as “Idiotically Correct” a political opinion show hosted by the current TGN President Alan Danzis. On top of that Danzis and Salvati pumped out proposals for five new shows that could air as early as November of 2002. Bulletin Board was re-vamped and the new official website was developed in late July 2002. As for the 2002-03 season Fate Date, Newsroom and Idiotically Correct look to headline the “TGN original” lineup along with syndicated shows from ZILO. The five proposed shows that include a “Tom Green/David Letterman”-style program all could make it on the air for the networks second season. So sit back and enjoy the rise. Will you be watching? TGN 70 “ITS YOUR TV!” 2001-2002 March 22nd 2001 started out as an average day and ended up being one of the most important days in the history of Loyola: it was the day TGN, The Greyhound Network, a television station run by students for students, was conceived. On that day, Alan Danzis, a Sophomore at the time, confided with Kevin Poll, a Freshman, during a rehearsal for the Evergreen Players production of Measure For Measure about the prospect of creating a television broadcasting club. The club would produce and air an original drama Danzis was working on. He was looking for comedic writers and Poll told him about Joe Salvati and Nick Walkonis. The two high school friends had hoped to become shock jocks for Loyola’s proposed radio station. As hopes of a radio station dwindled they brought their interest elsewhere. On the night of March 22, Poll, along with Salvati and Walkonis, called Danzis, and everyone decided to hang up a sign-up sheet advertising their television club outside McManus. By the end of the week, there were twenty signatures. By the end of three weeks, there were over 150. Coincidently enough, Salvati was working the soundboard for Measure for Measure and quickly became conversation buddies with Danzis. A fellow cast member in the show, Rex Frieberger also expressed his interest and as a member of SGA, offered to help assist in setting up a club. The original name was LoyolaTV, but it was soon scratched due to trademark reasons. While sitting in a Latin class one day Salvati wrote the “The Greyhound Network” on his notebook and “TGN” right next to that. The name was TGN was born and the group was quickly making their move toward history. Within weeks, the five original co-founders (Danzis, Poll, Salvati, Walkonis, and Freiberger) were meeting with officials as high up as President Harold Ridley. Danzis quickly developed a relationship with Student Activities as Poll and Freiberger roped in James Bentley and Michael Braden to be moderators. By the following school year they had hoped to air one of their three proposed shows: a news show headed by Freiberger, Danzis’ and Poll’s dramedy Charles Street Bridge, and Joe and Nick’s Comedy sketch show Nick and Joe’s Dog Pound. Over the summer, Salvati discovered Burly Bear Television in New York. This was a free syndicated network for colleges. Its brand of television was perfect for Loyola and soon Danzis and Salvati were in contact with BBN Director of Affiliate Relations Tim Foisset. They worked out a preliminary deal but were soon shot down by Loyola tech officials who said the contract would conflict with the one for CTN, a long time college satellite television provider for the college. After months of poking through contracts, and talking with CTN, Danzis was able to secure a contract with Foisset and Burly Bear. A contract was signed and now it was time to develop TGN’s original programming. Walkonis and Poll soon drifted from the group to continue their work as stage actors but Danzis, Frieberger and Salvati raged on. New members were quickly added to the mix: Colleen Rutledge, Alexis Frungillo, BJ Barretta, Dave Reynaud, Kristin Haneschlager, Matt Genuardi, and many others. And to the original co-founders surprise, Loyola College built a state of the art television production studio in Gardens D. The studio was not only to be used for classes but it was also the new home for TGN. With a new studio and new experienced editors, writers, and producers the group spent months planning to air shows that were possible to put together and air as soon as possible. They soon realized that the best they could do was air The Newsroom, Frieberger’s news show; the Bulletin Board, the hipper replacement for the former Events Channel based in Microsoft PowerPoint; and the syndicated shows from Burly Bear. A late January, early February airdate was proposed before the group broke for Christmas in 2001. Delays occurred and some were wondering if another show would be needed to follow The Newsroom, with more entertaining spin. At that point BJ Barretta, a senior and editing whiz kid, approached Danzis about doing a blind dating show. Reactions were mixed, but soon Salvati, Danzis. and Barretta began toying with the idea. The three broke off The Newsroom and hoped that this would be a beneficial step in strengthening the TGN lineup. Interest in the dating show quickly circulated. The buzz grew as the group started gearing for a launch date in February, right before Spring Break. On February 27th, 2002 TGN went on the air. They began at 8 AM with the Bulletin Board and began showing Burly Bear at 4 PM on channel 70. But the magic was to begin at 8 PM that night. In front of a packed house in the Reading Room, The Newsroom with Kevin Dulin and Christine Buglione aired for the very first time. The show’s editing was completed just minutes before airtime. The 15 minute news magazine was the first ever TGN original program. At 8:30 PM Fate Date hosted by Joe Salvati aired to rave reviews. By April, TGN was airing a wide variety of programming from SGA debates to Student films to documentaries from clubs like the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. club, not to mention Burly Bear Network shows and Fate Date. Fate Date’s popularity soared as the crew of three pumped out 3 shows before summer break. TGN 70 debuted in one of the biggest years in Loyola history. It was the school’s 150th anniversary. One of the proudest moments in the stations young history was reserving its place in the Loyola time capsule. The communications department also quickly embraced the station as one of the biggest advances for the department. TGN. It was one of the fastest growing organizations this campus has ever seen. It all started with a simple idea and little bit of networking. In less than a years time a small group of people built one of the most powerful communication tools that a college campus can have. TGN 70. Will you be watching? | 
