Community Media

The other day, while discussing the important value of Public Access television with a friend, it occurred to me that one thing that seems to be overlooked when the subject of PEG TV or Pubic Access television comes up is the profound difference between Public Access/ community TV and commercial TV, a profound difference that federal, state and local legislators should be keenly aware of and take advantage of for the good of their communities.

I never understood why many cable and telecom companies have resisted franchise licencing or the mandate to fund and to support public access television. As an institution, Public Access is a community resources, building community in a way that can set the ground work needed for a sustainable commercial markets.

Our legislators have an opportunity through HR 3745, the
Community Access Preservation Act (CAP) to ensure support for Public Access as a good for their community and business constituencies.

The goal of commercial television, as it is with really any commercial enterprise, is to exploit a market. Although the commercial enterprise may wish to sustain it's ability to sell product, ultimately, it's role is to exhaust the market share.

On the other hand, the goal of Public Access/Community TV, as it is really with any non-profit community media, is to nurture, enrich and build community through media. A Sustainable public access mission, provides a rich community resource which inspires, invigorates and even encourages growth in related commercial markets in fields of cable services, television and video production and other creative economy initiatives.

Bunnie Riedel and John Rocco of American Community Television writes:

PEG channels are important to our communities.

The two were interviewed on an internet talk show, "My Technology Lawyer". You can listen to the interview here HERE .

Public Access stations, such as WCCA TV 13, across the country, play an important role in providing citizens with a voice in a public forum.

We continue to count on your support. Thank you

According to an E-Blast PDF published from State Senator Scott Brown's office, January 2008

It seems that the newly elected US Senator Scott Brown was a PUBLIC ACCESS Producer. His daughter Ayla Brown has appeared on WCCA TV 13 numerous times on "Video Jam, Teen Central, and Community Vision News.

The Brown family are no strangers to public access.

Here is what was mentioned in the Massachusetts Senator's old E-Blast:

"BEACON HILL REPORT WITH SENATOR SCOTT BROWN

Senator Brown’s cable show airs on your local cable access network. The newest episode includes a discussion on Community Hospitals. Senator Brown's guests include Dr. Chessare, President of Caritas Norwood Hospital and Andrei Soran, CEO of Metro West Medical Center (Leonard Morse Hospital).

WCCA's John Simakauskas gives us the latest on what is happening at WCCA TV 13:
link here

Keep up with all of the latest at at WCCA TV dot com.

Thanks John

Happy New Year to all !

Today, as I walked through the facilty, while meeting with a an HVAC tech to measure for a special air conditioning unit to service our playback room which has been recently installed with a new Telvue system server, I realized that all 14 edit suites were occupied. Community producers working on their next production. When I finished that meeting, I was anxious to get to my computer to view the last nights BandEdge video clips. I was amazed at what our partnership with WPI and audio engineer Mark Daily had produced. Four episodes of quality audio and video featuring four great Worcester Jazz bands. You will have to tune in to near future episodes as soon as we complete editing. If you love big band and jazz, you will not want to miss those episodes. Today, our board members placed the near final head count for WCCA's gala Harvest Moon Dinner Dance which will be a fabulous night for sure.

QUIZ
What does
An Optomotrist
a salon owner
a candidate for city council
a young city artist
an alternative band
the director of the Mass Pharmacy college
the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce
and an author /Chef , have in common?

A. They recently were guest at WCCA TV 13 studios
B. They can seen on WCCA’s cable channel 13 to a home audience that exceeds well over 56, 000 people.
C. They appeared on shows that were streamed over the internet
D. Their television appearance can be viewed, “on demand” anywhere were anyone with Internet access, around the world, can watch.
E. Participated in building community through electronic media
F. All of the above

Answer: F. All of the above (of course).

Thanks for taking part and supporting us.
OUTREACH, CONNECT, IMPACT : WCCA TV 13, “The People’s channel”
We’re not just a TV station, we are a community resource.

Public access television as a community resource has many levels of value. To assess the tremendous value accurately and to do justice to it, it is very challenging. How do you account for people who are developing and enhancing life skills to communicate, or develop career skills in television production, or how someone discovers personal assets that are transferable and may serve a multitude of purposes to the benefit of a community? How do you account for the value of shared information, or the breaking down of cultural barriers through electronic media or for the rewards one receives through the creative experience of working in a proactive community of television production?
Everyone has a gift that they can share. Public Access is a vehicle that provides a vehicle for such sharing in the light of a public forum or behind the scenes of teh production experience.

From the free press Misty Perez Truedson. Educate yourselves with this one. We ran into one of these while battling the Verizon Bill a few weeks ago ( remember the "Stringer"? ). Here's what Misty writes:

Check out our new AstroTurf tool and Tim Karr’s latest blog post.

-Misty
Unmasking Astroturf

Timothy Karr
Timothy Karr's Unmasking astroturf

If you haven't been paying attention to the work of "astroturf" groups in Washington, in the media and at your local town hall meeting, now's the time to tune in.

These front groups for hire have been everywhere this summer -- spreading misinformation about health care reform, carbon emission caps and financial regulation.

In the recent couple of weeks WCCA TV is proud to shine a light on local arts and culture, local music, politics, youth and student activities, neighborhood news, and topic of interest of the people who live, work or study in our city. WCCA is a window into Worcester for sure. It is also a creative audio and video art center, a technology learning center, and a good ol' fashion community center as well. It is up to YOU to make what you will of it. We have some great events coming up this coming fall, so I hope you all consider my invitation to get involved with the station.
Have you seen yourself on WCCA TV lately? Have I seen you in the following this latest WCCA TV news about our community shows on our website?
Such as :
the volunteers in our recent news letter, the music acts in Video Jam, the student leadership GEAR UP program on WCCA TV, a press conference given by Joe O'Brien's discussing his candidacy for Mayor, the Save Our Poolz press conference, the Tea Party latest program, Teen Central blog about Autism, Art in the Park video, and so much more.