This blog was basically abandoned in October 2009 because the values and ideas presented seemed no longer valid for Contra Costa County. The Access Contra Costa proposal for public and educational access management and rollout was dismissed in the usual way judicatories discourage petitioners-'thank you for providing substantive information but please come back and give us much more information so we can ask you for even more.' That charade had lasted three years and was a deal breaker for everyone involved. The Access Contra Costa applicants listened as a city official berated public access once again and, of course, invoking YouTube as a sufficient alternative to a public access television channel.
But times change and so do ways of creating public media. With this posting I wish to announce that The Martinez Lightworks is the newest community media center in Contra Costa County. At the start it will be privately held with myself as principal, and steadily build the basic components of a public/educational access facility. The first project is to create a flash studio, a one-person station where one can record a webinar, podcast, turn a slide presentation into a video or produce local promotional videos.
Income for the media center development will come from community media services performed professionally by the Martinez Lightworks.
The idea of a public service institution being a for-profit venture is very new to access television. However, one only has to look as far as Heald College or the Job Corps to see how privately held companies can provide excellent value for scarce dollars.
Just about every other path to a media center in Contra Costa County has collapsed, perhaps free enterprise might at last save the day. Please wish us luck folks.
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label media. Show all posts
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Monday, June 29, 2009
A Vision for Community Media -Part Two
It would be foolish to write about growing a public access television presence in Contra Costa if such a presence was just a hope or some other fantasy. I remember at a Concord City Council meeting a resident uttered his demands for the city to “provide” a public access channel with sufficient staffing and a satellite receiver to retransmit “Democracy Now” over the channel. OMG. It was an idea that once framed presumed its rejection.
The plan and subset of policies I present to you is reasoned, makes possible wide and easy participation by all citizens and results in a product that educates and edifies each of us. The purpose of this blog is to connect with like-minded people who can help construct this real-life media nexus.
Some background information first.
Please forget about “Wayne’s World” as anything other than a tired old joke that served only to trivialize access television. Think, perhaps, about the two well informed veterans talking about obtaining benefits and other dealings with the V.A. This blog is a serious conversation about a substantial community service.
Community media traditionally means television programs produced and prepared by local folks. Various groups in the community would communicate via video. Making a public access program requires numerous skills and at most places much more trouble than it is worth. Imagine an enterprise that involves several people, lots of planning, audio and video recording, CG, editing and post production to obtain a product that would be shown twice.
You gotta really wanna make TV to enjoy volunteering in access television.
So, surprise! The gotta really wanna folks seem to dominate access television.
There is a better way. It is a process that includes many more people and a much wider variety of interests.
Simply put: 1) Encourage all not for profit organizations to offer their already produced video programs and fill the channel with these messages. 2) Offer professional training in public relations and marketing to leverage effect of telecasts. 3) Offer professional video services in several tiers leveraging savings due to PEG grants but explicitly avoid using the access center to, in any way, compete unfairly with professional providers or organizations.
It’s the old fashioned way. This would be the first of many baby steps.
The plan and subset of policies I present to you is reasoned, makes possible wide and easy participation by all citizens and results in a product that educates and edifies each of us. The purpose of this blog is to connect with like-minded people who can help construct this real-life media nexus.
Some background information first.
Please forget about “Wayne’s World” as anything other than a tired old joke that served only to trivialize access television. Think, perhaps, about the two well informed veterans talking about obtaining benefits and other dealings with the V.A. This blog is a serious conversation about a substantial community service.
Community media traditionally means television programs produced and prepared by local folks. Various groups in the community would communicate via video. Making a public access program requires numerous skills and at most places much more trouble than it is worth. Imagine an enterprise that involves several people, lots of planning, audio and video recording, CG, editing and post production to obtain a product that would be shown twice.
You gotta really wanna make TV to enjoy volunteering in access television.
So, surprise! The gotta really wanna folks seem to dominate access television.
There is a better way. It is a process that includes many more people and a much wider variety of interests.
Simply put: 1) Encourage all not for profit organizations to offer their already produced video programs and fill the channel with these messages. 2) Offer professional training in public relations and marketing to leverage effect of telecasts. 3) Offer professional video services in several tiers leveraging savings due to PEG grants but explicitly avoid using the access center to, in any way, compete unfairly with professional providers or organizations.
It’s the old fashioned way. This would be the first of many baby steps.
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