University of Montana homecoming parade draws alumni, floats in Missoula; MCAT provides live coverage

Missoula — The University of Montana held its 2007 homecoming parade Saturday, Sept. 28, with local community television station MCAT providing live coverage from the corner of Spruce and Higgins.

Suzette Dusso, this year’s homecoming parade coordinator for the University of Montana Alumni Association, told viewers the event would be “even bigger and better than years before,” and said the program would include both the first Miss Montana, a student in 1947, and this year’s Miss Montana, who is a current U of M student.

The broadcast emphasized participation by alumni and student groups and offered practical information for viewers. MCAT general manager Joel Barrett described the station’s live rooftop camera coverage and urged viewers to call with feedback; MCAT listed its phone number on air as 542-6228. Volunteer and longtime MCAT producer Nancy Bartlett described the station’s public training offerings and said orientation is held on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m.

Hosts and on-air contributors mentioned historical homecoming queens and campus figures while introducing parade entries. The program included reminiscences about past queens such as Mary Sullivan (1964), Patty O’Loughlin (1965) and Sheila McDonald Stearns (1967), and noted how some former queens later held prominent campus roles.

On-air estimates of the parade’s size varied during the broadcast. At different points hosts described the parade as “about 30,” “over 34” floats and later estimated “about 108” entries; the station did not provide a single confirmed final count during the program.

The on-air team directed viewers who wanted to watch in person to locations along Higgins Avenue and the bridge area; the parade route continued toward University Avenue. Broadcasters also noted cool, overcast weather during the event and said some crew members reported temperatures near freezing earlier in the morning.

MCAT used the broadcast to invite community members to become producers and volunteers. Bartlett, who produces a local arts program, described her experience learning station equipment and recruiting volunteer camera and editing help; she said her show, the Nancy Bluebird Show, has run for about 11 years. Barrett and other hosts said the parade coverage would be replayed and thanked viewers for watching.

Less critical details: the station described its work as covering public, educational and government access programming, and encouraged viewers to call 542-6228 and leave a message if they wanted MCAT to follow up.