Transmission Project

CDS has on archive over 6000 digital stories, the largest archive of digital stories in the world representing 16 years of work, and we continue to capture as a national/international organization more than 800 stories per year. The archival system has evolved slowly over the last decade, we can identify the location of the vast majority of stories by the workshop name and date, but we lack a robust system of managing the stories based on meta-data tags and client name. To secure the archive for future generations we need to maintain a robust system, and enhance its capabilities. The capacity to fully integrate effective archival practices into all of our workshops and post-production processes is an invaluable contribution to the field.

We are seeking a CTCVISTA member to help develop our Archive and Post Production Technical Support systems. This work would include:
Reviewing existing archive project and systems, research comparable systems in other organizations: enhancing and developing database systems for our movie archive; enhancing and developing post-production systems for managing participant data, update materials for post production process and software tutorials, DVD and Website templates for publication; developing model research/curatorial projects for each initiative process using archive as basis for examining relevant issues in connection to poverty.

The CTC Vista will work with the Supervisor/Technical Director to further develop and enhance two major systems of our organization, the CDS story archive and CDS Post-Production system

The tasks will include:
1. Review existing archive project and systems, research comparable systems in other organizations
2. Enhance and develop database systems for our movie archive.
3. Enhance and develop post-production systems for managing participant data
4. Develop model research/curatorial projects for each initiative process using archive as basis for examining relevant issues in connection to poverty.

The VISTA will assist Prometheus Radio Project in researching and evaluating data to better understand the current regulatory landscape in the world of community radio.

First, the VISTA will survey stations and review FCC data to create a “snapshot” of the regulatory landscape for community radio in 2011. Issues addressed may include encroachment from full power stations, interference from digital radio signals, anticipated new eligibility requirements for low power stations, and the impact of rule changes surrounding the relative priority of low power stations and translators. The snapshot will inform out advocacy, helping us to prioritize our efforts and support our statements to the FCC. Documents produced by the VISTA will be made available to other media justice organizations, to better inform their work in field of public media and technology.

Second, the VISTA will launch a new effort to involve stations in their own regulatory advocacy by developing and promoting an “FCC Comment Tool” and related resources, such as a guide to FCC participation and an online forum on regulatory advocacy. Together, these efforts will support an informed and active community radio sector.

The Corps member would be working directly to collect data, conduct analysis, research innovations, and provide recommendations on how to enhance and improve HealthyCity.org. The corps member’s role would be to gather and analyze user feedback and comments, provide responses and information to user questions, collect and promote stores form communities on the ground, and brainstorm and think through ways to improve and enhance trainings and structure of HealthyCity.org to increase usability and accessibility.