Students interested in television news and production may have an opportunity to be on TV and earn college credits.

ASUA's "The Cat's Eye," the University of Arizona's only student-run television show, may be offered as a class this fall.

The program, which has aired three times on KVOA-TV Channel 4, would be incorporated into Media Arts 381, reporting for broadcast news. Media Arts 381 is a three-unit course taught by Adjunct Professor Ted Robbins.

He said the class will be aimed at producing one show at the end of the semester, which will be a collection of the best stories from students.

"The Cat's Eye" consists of news, entertainment and sports packages relating to university issues.

Robbins, who is also a producer and director for KUAT-TV, said things are still up in the air because of the problem with prerequisites for the course.

Currently, the prerequisite for Media Arts 381 is Media Arts 380, writing for broadcast news, both of which are offered only once during an academic year.

Robbins said the problem with implementing the new Media Arts 381 in the fall is that there are not enough students who have taken 380 to sign up for it. Right now there are only two students enrolled in 381 for the fall.

Robbins said he is discussing several options with the department. One option is to cancel 381 for one more semester and keep "The Cat's Eye" outside the department for eight more months.

Another possibility is to offer "The Cat's Eye" as an internship or practicum until it becomes an actual course.

Robbins said all of these options will be discussed at an informational meeting, tonight at 7 p.m. in Student Union Room 283.

"In the long run it will be a perfect program for bachelor of arts students - it will provide stability and a growing experience," Robbins said.

He said he originally pitched the idea of making "The Cat's Eye" into a course to Rebecca Butler, political science senior and founder of "The Cat's Eye."

Butler, a KVOA-TV producer said, "It involves a lot of dedication and hard work to put these shows together, so I supported the move because that way students will earn credits toward their degree."

As Associated Students media relations director, Butler started the program in fall 1994. Since then, it has been run entirely by student volunteers.

"It seemed like a good idea because Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University had some hands-on experience with programs like this, but the UA didn't," Butler said.

Robbins heard about the program and asked Butler if he could get involved as an adviser for students who were working on the show. He said he was trying to concentrate on the study of broadcast news at the UA.

Butler said the Media Arts Department at the university seems more geared toward film students than broadcast students.

The department gave the show one of its cameras, which the students used to tape the show and its packages.

Butler originally began the program with the help of ASUA, which gives the show office space and a place to store its equipment.

ASUA President Ben Driggs agreed to have ASUA fund a group of students to go through training at the Tucson Community Cable Corporation when Butler originally came to him with this idea two years ago.

Butler interviewed about 100 students who showed up at the first meeting and chose 20. The program's pilot shows were put together using public access equipment.

Once KVOA saw the pilot shows, News Director Mick Jensen and Program Director Dave Hatfield agreed to air the show and gave the students an old editing deck, which they use to edit and produce the show.

"We wanted some sort of relationship with students coming out of the university in radio/television programs for employment opportunities, quite frankly," Hatfield said.

Robbins said even though "The Cat's Eye" will become a class, he hopes ASUA will continue to support the show.

The course, if implemented, will be opened first to media arts students.