MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s True Blue TV recently added iOS and Android phone apps, extending live events, educational resources, and programs to users in the Midstate and beyond.

“The new iPhone and Android apps deliver superior picture quality, the option of video-on-demand playback, and the ability to access True Blue TV across the world,” said Ty Whitaker, senior manager of True Blue TV.

According to research, the use of mobile apps worldwide has almost doubled since 2016, and smartphones have become the preferred way to access news and information among multiple age groups.

“The new apps were developed hoping to engage our cable viewers, students, and alumni in the vibrant life of the MTSU campus,” added Whitaker.

“I recently added the True Blue TV App for Androids to my phone, and I love it,” said Melbra Simmons, MTSU alum and media office coordinator for True Blue TV. “If you miss important information about programs and schedules, you can always access it from your phone.”

Adding the phone apps was one of many upgrades the channel received. The Amazon Fire TV app was also revamped to complement the channel’s existing Roku and Apple TV apps, also called Over-the-Top or OTT apps, because they include set-top boxes or plugin sticks that allow users to stream content via the internet.

“Our existing OTT apps supply the same high-quality live and video-on-demand experience (as the phone apps) when watching at home,” noted Whitaker. 

MTSU’s 2024 spring commencement ceremonies received nearly 500 views through the True Blue TV webpage, set-top boxes, and phone apps.

The Android app is available in the Google Play Store; the Apple TV app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV is available through the Apple Store; the Amazon Fire TV app is available on Amazon; and the Roku app is available through the Roku Channel Store.

For users who prefer more traditional access, True Blue TV also airs on the following Rutherford County cable channels:

• Comcast Xfinity Channels 9 and 1096.
• AT&T U-verse Channel 99.
• MTSU Cable Network Channel 9.1.
• DTC Channel 195 (Alexandria).
• United Communications Channel 206 (Chapel Hill).

MTSU’s television station started in 1979 as a cable television bulletin board. In 1999, it launched as an educational resource channel as a part of the Center for Educational Media.

During the pandemic, the channel became the most suitable solution for bringing the MTSU community together and was rechristened “True Blue TV” in 2020. Since then, the channel has become the premier hub for video content and live event programming from MTSU.

Broadcasting from MTSU’s Center for Educational Media, a part of the College of Education, from studios and offices located inside the McWherter Learning Resource Center, True Blue TV is operated by MTSU’s Division of Marketing and Communications under a Murfreesboro Cable Television Commission license.

To learn more about True Blue TV and its programs, schedules, and shows, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/truebluetv/.

— Johari Hamilton (Johari.HamiltonGA@mtsu.edu)