tv

Multi-media platform capacity building

VISTA Name: 
Michael Ewing
Program Start: 
9/2010
Program End: 
9/2011
Project Description: 

The Corps member will be part of CAN TV’s strategic moe toward helping groups repurpose content for strategic placement on multiple platforms such as social networking and video sites, RSS feeds and other resources. The Corps member will work with 5-10 nonprofit groups that use CAN TV and will help determine how to best extend content via multi-media platforms to achieve better results. The findings will help inform the updating of CAN TV’s workshops and classes to better respond to a transitioning media environment.

The Corp member will work with staff to evaluate client needs, examine best practices and elicit information about “lessons learned.” Curriculum will be developed that integrates new media tools and responds to client needs. CAN TV’s participation on multiple media platforms will provide an opportunity to learn by doing, training the trainers that work through CAN TV, who will then be responsible for training the public.

Outreach and Web Development Specialist

VISTA Name: 
Christy Park
Program Start: 
1/2005
Program End: 
1/2006
Project Description: 

The VISTA worker at SCAT would spearhead the effort to more fully integrate web-based services into SCAT’s operations. For example, we would like to provide an interactive program schedule on the Website, and provide producers with the option to archive their programs on our website to allow for video-on-demand. The VISTA would also help us transition to wireless connections for all our office computers.

The VISTA would work with local non-profit organizations on outreach projects, both in video and on the Web. The VISTA would train staff and members in video and web design skills.

Project Outcome: 

Christy helped out with programing, including a monthly show called Talking About Somerville. She set up the lighting and manned (womanned) a camera and then edited the peice together putting titles and credits and music to it.

Christy attends local events around Boston interviewing and filming the community. She is currently working with one of our interns to start a show about the “issues” facing artists in somerville. She is hoping that anything from the cost of studio space to art education in public schools will be addressed. She has met with the host of another art show we do at SCAT to discuss the format of the show.

Christy is also teaching digital media courses to youth including a class on audio recording and garage band and a program called “Say Media!” where youth create music videos, PSAs, and documentaries.

Christy told us, “I have really enjoyed working with all of them. Some of them have really gotten into their projects and will stay several hours after the camp is through to finish up. they are pretty motivated (they should be, they get paid more than i do to teach, just to show up :) and they are producing some really neat youth media that will appear on our station.”

Outreach Coordinator

VISTA Name: 
Jennifer Schmitt
Program Start: 
9/2004
Program End: 
9/2005
Project Description: 

Goal 1. Increase participation of users and viewers of Cambridge Community Television.
Goal 2. Increase access in Cambridge.

Project Outcome: 

To quickly review Jennifer’s first quarter initiatives, her project included research into the demographic makeup of the city of Cambridge, preparing a significant report on ethnic and language identity by zip code of our community, and identifying organizations in our community to build relationships with to better serve our city. Jennifer’s second quarter worked to increasing member production rates and values by fostering and mentoring two member production groups; one group for the support of active producers working on individual productions, and the next a group focused on cooperatively producing a current affairs program.

Jennifer has also been responsible for a couple of community television events. These are events that, without CCTV and the hard work of our interns, would not have made the nightly news.

In the fourth quarter, a new initiative was born and Jennifer became the supervisor for our Summer Media Institute, a youth media program operated here at CCTV in collaboration with the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program. The Mayor’s office runs a program each summer placing teenagers for six weeks in various host sites with the intent to provide structure, job training, and income for youth in the city of Cambridge.

The twelve teenagers placed with CCTV undergo a rigorous media training program including digital camera and editing techniques, documentary and fiction production, software and other hard skills through project-based workshops and weekly screenings. This program empowers our twelve Cambridge youth each year with the ability to produce media that more accurately reflects their lives and experiences in our city. This program is several years old and graduates continue to return for our services and facilities in their independent media work.

Impact Quote: 

We adore Jennifer Schmitt. This year has been the best volunteer experience that CCTV
has had with the VISTA program and it is clearly because of Jennifer’s strength of
character and investment in her work. She far exceeded our expectations and through her
year long service she greatly improved the services CCTV has to offer our community.
In fact, her excellent work was the reason we have offered her a full time position here at
CCTV beyond her service year.

Somerville Community Access Television

Location:
Somerville, MA

Somerville Community Access Television is a leading public access media center that enables a vibrant and diverse community to express its creativity, explain its ideas, share its cultures, and foster the individual’s right to freedom of speech. SCAT supports and creates community-driven media through education, production resources, and distribution on cable television and the Web.

Portland Community Media

Location:
Portland, OR

Portland Community Media (PCM) is a nonprofit, public benefit organization dedicated to the production of local, non-commercial SmartAccess media developed and produced in the community, by the community and for the community.

Our mission is to promote broad participation in civic and cultural life by encouraging effective use and understanding of community media.

Since 1981, we have provided equipment and training courses for individuals and organizations to utilize cablecast and other forms of media distribution as a means of communication, civic involvement, artistic and cultural expression and community development.

PCM broadcasts locally produced television programming on six channels: Community Access Network (CAN 11), Metro East 21, Independent Television Network (ITN 22 and ITN 23), Pulse of Portland (POP 29) and CityNet 30.

Phillips Community Television/Intermedia Arts

Location:
Minneapolis, MN

Intermedia Arts is Minnesota’s premier multidisciplinary, multicultural organization. Our mission is to by a catalyst that builds understanding among people through art.

PCTV empowers young people to engage with their communities through learning, teaching and making media. For 15 year, PCTV has taught thousands of Minneapolis teens how to make their own TV shows, video diaries, photo essays, webpages and other media projects.

The PCTV crew creates a bi-weekly talk show called Our Turn, a online gallery featuring web design, photography and, creative writing called Mixed Visions, video essays, and other media products. These creative projects reflect public concerns and document work by youth in their neighborhoods. Participants of PCTV, and the schools they are selected from, demonstrate a strong commitment to community service and to engaging young people outside the classroom.

Through their involvement with PCTV, participants develop skills in media literacy, video production and design, including techniques in camera operation, sound, lighting, and editing. They also gain abilities in photography and web design and layout. Simultaneously, students begin strengthening community ties and educating others on important issues. By practicing what it means to be part of a media crew and how to fit in roles such as a director, producer, host, editor, and other operations youth find themselves filled with knowledge and skills enhancing their futures in media production.

Malden Access TV

Location:
Malden, MA

The mission of MATV is to provide the community with access to electronic media, training and channel time so that members have a forum to communicate their ideas, information, and concerns to the community-at-large. Through outreach and education, our goal is to foster the respectful free exchange of information, opinions, and interests of Malden community members.

Since the media center opened its doors in 1989, MATV has become a vibrant community center where people from all sectors of the city come together to express their opinions, share their knowledge, explore their cultures, reveal their talents and encourage citizen participation. MATV believes in freedom of speech, empowerment, diversity and encouraging public discourse that in turn, strengthens democracy and builds community through the use of media.

MATV is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors and it is through the hard work of those members, along with the staff and volunteers, that the mission of Malden Access Television is realized.

Our Services

Training workshops are provided for members in all aspects of video and computer-based media production. This includes the use of the digital camcorders, editing, studio production and the utilization of internet resources. A nominal fee is charged for basic, intermediate and advanced classes.
MATV also provides free access with membership to a wide range of equipment., from portable video equipment, editing suites and television studios to access to our web site and the Internet.
Programming time on the appropriate channel (Public, Education, or Government) is granted on a first come, first served basis for all video programs produced by community members or programs imported and sponsored by a community member.
There are special workshops for local youth, non-profit organizations and groups in the art of television production and computer use.
Free access and use of three community bulletin boards to publicize local events, share information or make general announcements.
Free Internet access and low cost computer classes at the Cyber Café @ Malden Square .
MATV Public Access Channel provides over 90 hours per week of local programming.
MATV Educational Access Channel cablecasts school-related messages; coverage of local school events; educational program produced by NASA, the Department of Education, and other educational entities; and Youth Channel productions created by members of our Teen Drop-in program, youth outreach programs, as well as the Kids Video Adventure Summer Workshop for youngsters ages 8 - 13.
MATV Government Access Channel shows announcements from the City of Malden, election information, public safety messages, coverage of local government meetings, as well as informational programming provided by elected officials on the local, state and national level.

Deproduction/Denver Open Media Foundation

Location:
Denver, CO

DOM is the culmination of the Open Media Foundation’s innovative 3-part vision for putting the power of the media in the hands of the community. Designed to ensure all communities have the media and technology resources they need to engage in local and global communications, DOM offers state-of-the-art video equipment, as well as media distribution via the Internet and our three community-programmed television channels.

Denver Open Media is not an independent entity, but a project supported by the Open Media Foundation, designed to be managed by the community. The Open Media Foundation is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to putting the power of media and technology in the hands of the people. In 2006, OMF modified its Board of Directors to permanently include two DOM member representatives.

Cambridge Community Television (CCTV)

Location:
Cambridge, MA

Cambridge Community Television is a public forum for all Cambridge residents, businesses and organizations. CCTV provides training and access to telecommunications technology so that all may become active participants in electronic media. CCTV strives to involve the diverse population of Cambridge as producers & viewers, and to strengthen its efforts through collaborations with a wide variety of community institutions.

Boston Neighborhood Network

Location:
Boston, MA
Transmission Project