Broadcasting is going back in time.

In an Emmy-style awards ceremony, Broadcast Electronic Communication Arts students will showcase more than 100 newscasts, music videos, graphic art and other projects tonight in Studio 1 of the Creative Arts building.

With the theme, “We Are the Future,” the show, open free to the public, will take the audience on a comedic journey through time with a series of student-made videos and satirical shorts written about the BECA faculty.

“Since we took over the project, we have reformulated it as a grand entertainment event that still showcases the work of BECA students,” said Jeff Jacoby, an assistant professor in the BECA department who co-directed the show with fellow BECA professor Hun Yul Lee last year. “Adding a large dose of showbiz to the event last year really invigorated the audience and created excitement around the entire idea.”

This year, the department has paired with the College Students in Broadcasting, a networking association of more than 150 BECA students, to encourage more student involvement behind the scenes.

“[The show] was really cool last year [and as] a student production, it has a lot of potential,” said CSB President Terra Fernandez, a graduating BECA student and recent recipient of the Victoria St. Clair Memorial Award. “I wanted to help [out and] bring other people in as well.”

Students from both the undergraduate and graduate BECA programs are participating in the production of BECAFest as writers, producers and directors, as well as behind-the-scenes work and event publicity.

“They are reaching for a higher level yet of polish and innovation in the presentation,” said Jacoby, who Fernandez has referred to as a mentor through this process. “Our collective idea is to elevate the show to an attraction that reaches beyond the BECA audience into the [SF State] and San Francisco media production communities.”

BECAFest first-timer Tracy Zehnder, 21, has submitted two projects from the State of Events TV program: one profiles Kendra, a homeless transsexual trying to reconnect with hope in the city, and the other is about the controversy over whether or not to preserve the Cow Palace in Daly City.

The Kendra story “shows a variety of sources [and] reaches a community of people [who] aren’t seen enough in our media,” said Zehnder, who is graduating from the BECA department a year early in hopes of becoming a reporter in her native Sacramento.

“There’s so much power in being a storyteller,” Zehnder said. “I like being out in the community and [giving] people a voice. People listen.”

State of Events, in addition to College Sports Report and Under San Francisco, are three television programs produced in BECA classes that air on channel 27 on Friday nights.

Student submissions will be judged by a four-person panel consisting of BECA staff, department alumni and Fernandez. Awards will be given in 13 different categories including Music Video, Sound Art, Documentary, Radio Spot/PSA (public service announcement), News/Sports Package and Video Art.

Daniel Martinez, a BECA major with an emphasis in radio performance and production, has submitted the most entries—20 in four different categories—to ensure he doesn’t get duped this year. Last year’s BECAFest was shortened due to time constraints, and the Original Radio Programming category was cut from the program.

“[This is my] second chance,” said Martinez, 22, who is also tonight’s audio director. “I’ve taken a series of courses in audio production [and] my entries are stronger.”

For students graduating from the program, BECAFest gives them one last opportunity to apply everything they’ve learned and see what their classmates have accomplished.

“This is a great way to end this experience,” said producer Lindsay Ibarra, 22. “[It’s] been a great training for what I want to do.”

The show will commence at 7 p.m. in Studio 1, also known as Creative Arts room 128.