Abstract
This thesis project is a blog that offers a behind-the-scenes look into a Communications class at Western Connecticut State University over the course of a semester, Fall 2011. First Time Live is a journalist‟s documentation of the work, dedication and manpower that went into making a live-news television broadcast within a short time and on a small budget. COM 394: Live News and Election Broadcast offered students the opportunity to create a show that focused on the local elections of 14 towns in western Connecticut. The 12 blog posts include reporting on certain key aspects of the class, profiles of contributors vital to the success of the broadcast, equipment used, a personal memoir of election night, and changes for next year.