AU students were disappointed when they were denied the opportunity to make an appearance in the studio audience of ABC's "Good Morning America" on Friday morning.
"Good Morning America" broadcasted from the Newseum Friday, concluding its weeklong tour through seven states as part of ABC News and USA Today's "Whistle-Stop Tour" of all 50 states before the Nov. 4 presidential election. Approximately 50 AU students began lining up outside the museum around 5:30 a.m. for free tickets to the broadcast and a subsequent Jennifer Hudson concert.
The Student Government had used Facebook to invite students to be part of the show's live audience to demonstrate to the nation why Princeton Review has ranked AU the nation's most politically active campus. However, AU students were not able to participate in the broadcast and instead sat in an amphitheater to watch the show on a big-screen television with other members of the general public.
Jennifer Hudson, who starred in the movie "Dreamgirls," then performed songs from her upcoming self-titled album. "Good Morning America" anchors Dianne Sawyer, Christopher Cuomo, Robin Roberts and Sam Champion hosted the concert.
Bill DeBaun, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, said he was irritated by the way the event turned out.
"Clearly, sitting in an auditorium watching TV is not effectively displaying the political activism that characterizes AU," DeBaun said. DeBaun is director of the Kennedy Political Union but was not speaking about the "Good Morning America" issue in that role.
While SG officials believed AU students would be included in the "Good Morning America" broadcast, they realized upon their arrival at the Newseum that they would only appear as extras in the Jennifer Hudson performance, SG Chief of Staff Amanda Fulton said in a press release Friday.
AU Media Relations had contacted the SG prior to the broadcast and said students from the school were invited to be on "Good Morning America," according to SG Secretary Madeline Tomchick.
She said she blames the unsuccessful event on miscommunication.
"We are very disappointed and frustrated with the situation," she said.
Polson Kanneth, a segment producer for "Good Morning America" and former president of AU's Student Confederation - the predecessor to the SG, said no one claimed students would be able to view the broadcast in person. "Good Morning America" only invited AU to the Jennifer Hudson concert, he said.
"We just wanted everyone to come and see a really exciting program," Kanneth said.
GMA did not use a studio audience for the broadcast because they wanted to avoid noise from the crowd during serious segments and because the anchors were reporting from too many varied locations inside the Newseum, he said.
Many AU students left early when they realized they would only be able to watch Jennifer Hudson perform.
Chelsea Ritchie, a freshman in the School of International Service and a member of the university's cheerleading team, said she was still going to make the most of a morning even though it did not turn out as she expected.
"I'm so glad so many [AU] students came out," she said.
Ritchie and several fellow team members were dressed in their uniforms and cheered to rile up the crowd.
Ritchie said she thought AU was the most represented school in the audience, which she said in itself shows the extent of the school's political involvement.
In the SG press release, Fulton apologized for any miscommunication and resulting disappointment related to AU's involvement in the show.
"We will actively pursue other ways to display our thanks for these students' interest in representing the University and for their school spirit," she said in the release.
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