In the heart of the media world, the City of Los Angeles, through California State legislation, appears to be shutting down public access television operations by the end of this year.  Read and hear more about this action at Full Disclosure.net

A little closer to home, the City of Madison's Mayor Dave Cieslewicz recently mentioned an idea to remove funding for WYOU, Madison's public access TV channel, and direct these funds instead to Madison City Channel, broadcaster of City meetings and civic activities.  As reported in the Madison paper, Isthmus, by Vikki Kratz, the Mayor's goal "is not to kill WYOU, but to find efficiences.  Kratz quotes the Mayor: "I understand WYOU provides a service.  I want to discuss with them if there's a way to do it differently."   WYOU has since launched a petition for the Madison area to save its station.

Entry revised 10/01/08.   Since this blog was posted, Madison's Mayor announced he would not cut funding to WYOU in 2009, but would seek to cut it by 50% in 2010, and to cut funding entirely in 2011.    Read and view more on this story at WYOU.

Entry revised 10/03/03.  Los Angeles isn't the only California city in which public access TV faces extinction.   In Ventura County, public access TV operations to the City of Ojai face the end of operations by year's end.  As reported on the Ojai Valley News Blog by Nao Braverman, "Public access cable services provided by Time Warner, which have dwindled over the years, will be terminated at the end of December, according to Time Warner’s spokesperson Patricia Fregoso."

 

Are there any people reading this who go on YouTube to look around?  If you do, and you find YouTube videos that have some good stuff on them from people who you can pretty much guess are from the City of Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie or Somers, Wisconsin (they'd have to be in the Time Warner viewing area), send them a comment that maybe they’d like to learn to get some of their video on Kenosha TV 14 and tell them to check out the Kenosha Media website address .... and/or let me know the YouTube address or name to find them on YouTube (My email is cmhello5-news@yahoo.com).  It would be good to get some fresh video on Kenosha TV, and I am working on scouting out YouTube for that purpose. Thanks.

  This is edited on 10-1-08, because the video for the 100 second Film Festival is no longer on the opening KCM page, at  Kenosha Media website but can be found by clicking on  100 Second Film Festival or by going to 100seconds.org, where you can find directions how to enter your video in the festival.

I sent a DVD with 100 seconds of video to Medford, Massachusetts where the Festival is, and my entry is called “Bodacious Bonsai” ... I edited down the Bonsai show that we videotaped at the Chicago Botanic Garden  and used previously for a 30 minute "Fun With Dave & Carole" show which broadcast on Kenosha TV 14.  It was challenging to put the best stuff in 100 seconds, but I think a worthwhile endeavor.  It makes you be a lot more selective and discriminating.  Probably more viewers will watch 100 seconds than 30 minutes, when you think about it.

I encourage anyone who can, to send in an entry to that festival, and keep a copy for yourself. It would be fun for Channel 14 to have our own showing of some of the 100 second videos, especially if some of the Ch. 14, KCM  producers make 100 second videos. (or are interested in seeing some) 

It's good practice editing down video... now I/we need to use that practice to make some real short promotional videos for the 2 shows we produce to broadcast on Ch. 14, KCM!  (we, meaning my co-producer, Dave)

. . . and its name is Denver Open Media.  Geoff Daily at App-rising.com wrote an excellent article recently about activities in Denver, CO to "develop a model for PEG access (public/educational/government) access centers that introduces new efficiencies through automation and open source software, and that redefines what it means to have a community channel".  It applies opportunities used by the public to upload their videos to YouTube and other online locations to the arena of PEG access television.   Denver's access TV programming schedule is determined by its viewers, who are invited to vote on the shows they enjoy.  This feedback determines the programming schedule on the TV channel.   This voting procedure has had its challenges in Denver, but its staff is working to make it fair and efficient.

Read any good books lately?   My knowledge of the Civil War has been pretty slim; still, I'm reading with a great deal of interest Michael Shaara's novel The Killer Angels, which tells through the voices of the men who fought at Gettysburg a fascinating tale not only of a battlefield in the War Between the States but also on brotherhood and, conversely, the warring instinct ingrained in us.  It's a tale not only of our history; it's also relevant to our current age.  The Civil War Museum has chosen The Killer Angels as its first book for discussion by its Media Club.

On the Kenosha TV 14 series Shakin' Up Kenosha, host/producer Dennis Shook visits with author/rail enthusiast John Doyle about his new book, Kenosha On The Go.  Doyle is past-president of the Kenosha Streetcar Society, Inc. and one of its founders.   His book offers a photo history with captions on Kenosha's trains, buses, trolley-buses, and streetcars.  Through the prism of local transportation, Doyle offers a unique glimpse of our city. 

Shakin' Up Kenosha was also recently featured in the Daily Kenoshan.   More comments on Shakin' Up Kenosha from a discussion forum at the Daily Kenoshan may be found here.  Thanks to this 24/7 online interactive news vehicle for recognizing Kenosha Community Media/Kenosha TV 14 and Mr. Shook's wonderful TV series.  

Both books, The Killer Angels and Kenosha On The Go, are available at your Kenosha Public Library.  You can also find The Killer Angels at the Civil War Museum gift shop, and Kenosha On The Go at Museum gift shops and at select Kenosha retailers. 

Recently, New York radio station WYNC posed the question: “In the era of YouTube and other citizen media like blogs, online social networks, and wikis, is public access television still relevant?”   What's your opinion?

An article by Josh Goodman at Governing.com reports, “one could argue that public access TV has outlived its usefulness. In the era of Internet video, anyone with a digital camera or cell phone can broadcast his musings around the globe with minimal effort.”  In a Concord Monitor article, Georgia Tech professor Hans Klein says, “I'm a sympathizer. But it hasn't worked. It's hard to find someone whose life is not touched by Internet-based community media.”

Others continue to find tremendous relevance today in public access TV. Cliff Jacobs of Queens (NY) Public Television writes, “The Borough of Queens is the most ethnically diverse community in the United States. Mainstream television can not cater to the needs of such a diverse community. QPTV's independent producers create programs for our multi-cultural community. Without these multilingual programs, many of our viewers would be devoid of a lifeline to their community.”

Several years ago, Public Access of Indianapolis published an online profile of media activist George Stoney in which Mr. Stoney argues that the Internet has not replaced public access TV. “It's getting the attention of a lot of people, but it doesn't replace the need for group action,” he said. “So much of the Internet is individual stuff.” He adds, “So many people have their own cameras, but even if they have editing software on their computers at home, they lack the kind of group discussions and leadership that makes their stuff look competent and carry a full message.”

Lauren Glen-Davitian, Executive Director of Cambridge Community TV commented last year (after winning the George Stoney Award for Humanistic Communication), “Free speech is more than just shouting out into the wilderness . . . Just because you can post something on YouTube doesn’t mean you have free speech.”  Her interview appeared in an article by Ken Picard for Seven Days--Vermont's Independent Voice.

Our own organization Kenosha Community Media, Inc. has only recently stuck its toe into Internet-waters with development of a Web site, an e-newsletter, YouTube videos, and this blog, but these features—while they certainly can be improved upon and added to—do not replace, but instead enhance, KCM's purpose to provide a community conversation among citizens of Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, and Somers, WI on ideas, issues, services, events and activities that are important to them and our community.   

Hi, I’m Ion and I have just finished implementing the long awaited blog application on KCM’s website. I was given the honor of writing the first blog and I’m not quite sure what to write about. One thing that I want is for this blog to bring people from Kenosha County together when it comes to video production tools, idea sharing, viewpoints and community activities and everything else Kenosha Community Media can assist its residents and organizations.

I know that everyone from the KCM team is willing to go the extra mile to make this site better and that is why I invite you to add your comments and suggestions.

Thank you for reading the first blog,

Ion D.