We are about to building a proposal to create a new media center with the local Business Association and the Cultural Committee, and am looking for any proof of economic impact other media centers may have for their towns.
Has such a study been done for your station in your town, and if so, is that something that could be shared with us?
Montague Community Cable is attempting to buy a building to house our offices and studio. We're excited about the prospect, and look to the PEG community for advice.
(1) Who would you hire if you were to hire someone as a designer of your new studio
(2) Is this something that could be done collaboratively, with common sense and tested ideas already obvious to this community?
Here's a document you can look at if you're interested. We have thrown together a draft floorplan that we already know isn't good, in that the control room, edit room and equipment rooms are accessed through the studio itself. That's obviously a no-no.
Hi all, We have just (2 weeks ago) installed our new HD server and are wondering who else has one. We are having issues with the server freezing up in transition from one audio codecs to another PCM, MP2 & AC3, we got rid of all PCM files and have tries normalizing other audio but are still having playback issues with the hand-off.
Has anyone had this issue? If so how did you fix it?
Thanks,
Caroline Cunningham
Wilbraham Public Access
I will be having a demo of Discover Video at AOTV tomorrow,
Wednesday, May 2 at 4:30-5:30PM. I thought I would invite others
if you would like to see it. Please RSVP
Carol Courville
Athol-Orange Community TV
163 South Main Street
Athol, MA 01331
978-249-4470 carol@aotv13.org
On November 7, 2011, Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray and Secretary of Administration and Finance Jay Gonzalez announced the creation of a new $4 million Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) grant program to incentivize and support innovative regionalization and other cost savings initiatives that will change the way local governments do business to maintain service delivery and stretch every tax payer dollar as far as possible.
Eligible applicants include: Municipalities, regional schools, school districts considering forming a regional school district or regionalizing services, and regional planning agencies and councils of government. Regional agencies and councils of governments may also serve as the administrative or fiscal agent on behalf of municipalities. Applicants will be required to submit a project timeline and detailed budget for their proposal. Additionally, applicants must propose a method to measure and evaluate both the success of implementing the proposed project and the success of the initiative or reform going forward once implemented.
Hello All- I am wondering: How many of you are connected to Municipalities and/or regional school districts?
I believe this grant may serve public access centers in many fronts in the future including funding and good will with municipalites.... Applying for this grant may be too late, but I am sure there will be others.
If anyone is interested in having an open brainstorm discussion on regionalization of any access/media services please call me and lets set up a discussion. (With MBI coming to Western Mass this may be more feasible)
Hatfield Community TV is in the process of updating it's facilities. We have a lot of older equipment that is available to anyone who would like to haul it away. If you don't take it, it will be made available to the citizens of Hatfield, and what remains will be disposed of.
Here is a partial list of what is available:
4- Panasonic AG 456 SVHS full sized cameras with cases and power supplies-low hours, but no battteries
6- Apple IIe color composite monitors: they all work
3-Sony MV-1351 color monitors: all work well
3-Panasonic AG-1980 editing SVHS VCRs
1- Panasonic AG DS 840 SVHS editing VCR
2- Panasonic AG DS 550 SVHS editing VCR
Various Radio Shack microphones
A Sony digital stereo receiver
Maganavox 5 disc CD changer
Sony FXE-100 A/B Roll Editor, switcher, audio mixer
And a bunch of other stuff..
Deadline to claim any of it will be Saturday, November 19, 2011
email at HCTV@townofhatfield.org
or call Chip Gorra
860-460-2631 cell
413-726-2922 office.
Both Central Mass and Western Mass are invited.....
Hi All,
The address for Athol-Orange Community TV is
163 South Main Street
Athol, MA 01331
978-249-4470
Let me know if you need specific directions. It's right on Route 2A.
Also, let me know if you are planning to attend...
I already have supper planned so please come.
Thanks,
Carol Courville
PS. We are in the middle of Auction Prep, so you'll get to see some of it, and we've just created a new workflow with a NAS system that a few of you were interested in.
Montague Community Cable, Inc., the 501(c)(3) non-profit that owns and staffs MCTV channel 17 in Montague, MA, is seeking two professional positions.
Outreach and Communications Coordinator: $15/hr @ 10hrs - 20hrs per week. Major duties include contacting local agencies and residents and creating organizational and production partnerships; creating underwriting and sponsorship solicitations; writing the newsletter and all public communications; writing the quarterly and annual report narratives. Applicant should have a flair for writing, a passion and understanding of the place public access has in Montague, and a gregarious nature, at ease in front of an audience. Video skills would be a definite plus but are not required.
Technical Coordinator: $20/hr @ 10hrs - 15hrs per week. Major duties include maintaining the digital broadcast rack; researching and implementing emerging technologies; providing community training in editing, cameras, field production, etc.; maintaining and inventory all equipment. Applicant must have solid video technical skills and work well with the public, with good communication skills and a positive attitude in an office-like environment.
MCTV is also seeking interns to assist in video editing, titling and field production. Contact us for more information.
Applicants should mail resumes to MCTV, 34 Second Street, Turners Falls, MA, 01376, or send by email to: Jobs [at] MontagueTV [dot] org. No phone calls, please.
This video explains how to set up your TelVue Princeton Server to access, upload and down load from the CMDN and MyMassTV sharing servers. You will find that the TelVue system is tightly integrated with the sharing servers, and allows for one-click upload and download from the servers. Please note that you MUST have an account with MassAccess and the Community Media Distribution network in order to use these servers. Access is free, but you must have a username and password for each server. Feel free to call me if you have any setup questions. 413-726-2922
Note that CMDN has timely daily downloads of "Democracy Now!" and they are free to download and use, but you must register with the Democracy Now organization before airing their programs
MyMassTV is currently somewhat underutilized at the moment, but does have some state-produced programming such as a consumer affairs program available for use.
Hi everyone.
Just wanted to remind people that there are 2 events coming to the area!
Amherst Media is hosting the MassAccess Fall Mini Conference on Fri, Oct 14 from 9:30am to 2pm in Amherst
and
The Alliance For Community Media North East is holding its Fall Conference and Video Festival in Springfield on Saturday, November 12 at City Place Hotel and the Basketball hall of Fame. (Wilbraham Public Access is sponsoring it locally)
This is a great opportunity for people to meet up in western mass, see what these two organizations can do to help you and see what other local western mass area access/media centers are doing.
I hope you are able to make one or both of these.
Caroline
WPA
Montague Community TV is reviewing our staff job positions and descriptions and we'd love it if we could see what you're all doing. If you could either copy and paste to here, or send me a private message through the website (click on my name), or by email reply, that would be stupendous.
This year MCTV will try to broadcast the Montague Soapbox Derby live. We have some technical issues to over come, such as being about 3000 feet away from the closest transmission point. We have someone from Comcast checking out the site tomorrow. I'm sure he's going to confirm the need for a microwave dish, which we do not have. Anyone out there have something that could help?
For those who are hooked into the Turners Falls Industrial Park head-end, we are looking into making the live broadcast available to your subscribers. If this year goes well, we are looking to expand transmission possibilities for next year.
More info on the race here, if you want to put up a slide or two. The event is a fundraiser for MCTV.
I writing to everyone both on this old email list and the WMass site to arrange for a meeting of WMass community media centers on Friday, June 24 at Amherst Media, previously dba Amherst Community Television.
This will not be an official Mass Access conference but it will be an occasion for us all to set aside time to talk with one another. This will be informal, but a number of topics have been raised to be put on a meeting agenda, including:
A. Discussion of broadband in Western Mass, Wired West, Axia, and PEG centers as anchor institutions.
B. Sharing Programming - Sharing Server Costs
C. What if cable funding does go away... What can small stations do now to diversify
Please do two things if you have a chance:
1. RSVP as to whether you can make a meeting that day. We will not have any vendors or formal lunch plan but I will chip in for pizza myself.
2. Send any other topics you would like to set aside specifically for that day.
Thanks everyone. As a final FYI I am no longer representing Western Mass on the Mass Access board as I have accepted an invitation to appointment on the national board of the Alliance for Community Media. But Jim Lescault of Amherst Media has thankfully accepted the invitation of serving out my term on the Mass Access board and Western Mass will still be represented there.
Although many of you have lots of this kind of stuff you're trying to get rid of MCTV has the following equipment to give away:
-leightronics Mini T Pro, and Mini T Net (both with remote machine interface)
-lots of SVHS decks
-a couple of very big (old fashioned) working monitors
I am pasting a draft letter to Verizon here below. This letter is a very simplified version of the talking points I supplied last week. As an example, NCTV will be sending this out to membership, to local organizations with which we have worked, and to local legislators.
I'm again providing links to those legislators below.
Here is the draft letter. PLEASE NOTE, there sections of the letter you need to edit on your own.
Thanks,
Al
_______________________________________
(insert Senator or Rep. name here)
State House
Room (insert Room number here)
Boston, MA 02133
(Date)
Dear Senator (or Rep. name)
I am writing to address Massachusetts Senate Bill 1687. The Bill is currently scheduled for a hearing at the Statehouse on Wednesday, May 18th.
I oppose this bill. It could cripple the ability of our community to effectively support and sustain our local cable television studio.
(insert Personal story here-or delete this section)
There currently exists in Massachusetts a legal structure – the Massachusetts Cable Act (M.G.L.166A)- that has allowed, and continues to allow, successful and effective negotiations between communities and cable providers. This law works as it currently exists and it accomplishes its purpose. It provides support that allows for the existence of these vital community resources.
The proposed Senate Bill 1687 only serves to undermine that support. Imposing a 90-day time frame on cable license negotiations, makes this Bill unrealistic and weakens the ability of communities to identify and properly ascertain their telecommunication needs. Verizon has had no difficulty in acquiring cable licenses in the communities they have identified as desirable in Massachusetts, having successfully negotiated over 110 licenses in this state. This bill does not encourage competition; it handicaps the local negotiating position and weakens the community rights the Cable Act is intended to protect.
I urge you strongly to oppose Massachusetts Senate Bill 1687.
URGENT! - Verizon Bill Statehous Hearing May 18, 2011
Everyone,
The Verizon legislation which was filed in 2009 has returned in 2011. A date of May 18, 2011 has been set for a Statehouse Hearing in Boston.
Talking points are currently being generated regarding this issue.
One quick elevator summation - Verizon wants to limit contract negotiation periods to approximately 95 days. Typical contracts currently often take 3 years. If you can imagine mobilizing your local government to assess,negotiate, and sign a contract in 95 days, the problem here may be evident.
In 2009, Massachusetts community media centers mobilized a group of bodies to present evidence at a similar hearing. That legislation died on the floor of the committee. It's important that we try to mobilize support from with our group and, as importantly, our own constituencies who utilize and benefit from our services...
local churches
local nonprofits
local producers
local schools
local government
the community at large
...essentially anyone with which you have a relationship can either testify or, at the least, offer a phone call, letter, email.
In addition, and importantly, the Senate Chair of the committee is from Western Mass - Benjamin Downing of Pittsfield (Berkshire, Hampshire, and Franklin counties). It's important for Western Mass, and especially for those communities he represents and who have connections to him.
Also on the committee is Representative Michael Knapik of Westfield.who represents areas of Chicopee, Holyoke, Westfield, Blandford, Chester, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland, Easthampton and Southampton.
If we can generate enough critical mass interest in Western Mass we could consider renting a bus to travel to Boston on that day. I realize I recently sent a notice indicating interest to meet regarding broadband issues, but given this new and sudden timeline, is there interest to meet earlier to talk about this issue?
Hatfield's station will be without a director starting April 2. We are looking for someone who can keep our programming up to date with the Nexus server. Your time will be well compensated. If interested please contact Mark Stein at muv at comcast dot net. Thanks.
It's a great idea. I am in, let me know if you need anything.
Other topics for the mini conference might be...
How about discussing future funding for smaller stations
- With broadband: Access to the internet for PEG Programming
- Sharing Programming - Sharing Server Costs
- what if cable funding does go away... What can small stations do now to diversify
There are a number of groups who have been and continue to work to bring broadband services to all of Western Massachusetts. I propose that this broadband implementation is intimately intertwined with the current and future role of the PEG model. While current projects are dealing with middle mile expansion, last mile considerations have already begun, particularly with groups such as Wired West. The role of PEG (and other) community media centers as anchor institutions needs to begun being addressed today. There has already been interest expressed in gathering Western Mass PEG center representatives with those of the MBI and Axia, who has been selected to run the middle mile network.
It is with these concerns, and with any others you may have, and because we have not had a caucus of our Western Mass centers, that I would like to solicit interest in having a meeting.
I may be speaking in tongues to some who receive this. One of the particular challenges we face in Western Mass is being underfunded and understaffed. If so, even more reason.
I'm currently also planning the next Mass Access Mini-Conference, and one distinct possibility is to hold multiple statewide mini-conferences, the Western Mass one focusing on issues such as these.
Please do respond with your thoughts. I know you are busy. If you have to, send me a private email to nctv@northamptontv.org
The Town of Hatfield is seeking a dynamic video professional to fill the part time position of Director, HCTV-15, our public access station. You will be responsible for all aspects of station operations and planning for future needs. We are looking for an individual who believes in the public access mission, and has both the analog and digital skills to broadcast government meetings and public interest programming across cable and web platforms. Direct all aspects of a small town station that is just starting to retool for a digital future and will be negotiating our cable provider license as soon as you come aboard. For a full job description and application instructions please go to http://www.townofhat...ommunity-television/
Mark Stein, Chair
Hatfield Cable Advisory Committee
- Mon, Nov 14, 2011, 4:56 P
