Cox looking for high school students to host TV program

Cox Plugged In, a cable television show, is looking for Hahnville and Destrehan High School students to be hosts for the program. The show’s 11th season starts in August and auditions will be held on May 10.

“We’ve just celebrated 10 years of the show being on the air,” Brad Grundmeyer, manager of public affairs for Cox Communications, said. “I’ve hosted the show and I’m amazed and pleased with its success.”

Grundmeyer says teens that are selected to participate on the program will be discussing a variety of topics, including social issues.

“The students chosen will discuss relevant issues, like crime, drugs, politics and a myriad of things,” he said. “You get a different prospective when you hear these adult issues expressed with a different voice.”

Grundmeyer says the first host of the program came from Hahnville High School.
“When I initially started the program, I approached a young man by the name of Tommy Faucheaux,” he said. “He was the first host of the show and he’s now gone on to be the head of the public relations department for Dow Chemical.”

Grundmeyer says he’s pleased that past student hosts have continued their careers in public relations or broadcasting.
“We get at least 100 students that try out to participate on the program,” he said. “There’s no advance preparation needed.”

Grundmeyer says he’s looking for students with a lot of personality and a variety of interests.
“It’s not like American Idol,” he joked. “The students don’t have to sing and there’s no dancing involved.”
Grundmeyer says that he uses a committee to help him select the students that will participate on the show.

 “Since the show began, we’ve had 50 students participate from St. Charles Parish Schools,” he said. “And people really enjoy watching the show on television.”
Over the years, the show has had a variety of guests, including Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu and St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne.

“Lt. Governor Landrieu contacted me and said he loved the show,” Grundmeyer said. “He watches all the time and asked when he could come on and meet the students. I’m very happy that people are contacting me and asking to be a part of the program.”

The show can be viewed on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. on Cox Channel 10.
Auditions will be held on May 10 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m, at 2121 Airline Drive in Metairie. For more information on the auditions potential participants can log onto www.coxpluggedin.com.