Summer at JATV

How are you planning on spending your summer?

I will be doing an unpaid summer internship at JATV-98, as part of my coursework at UW-Whitewater, where I am working on a Master's Degree in Communication. My exact involvement with the station is yet to be determined, but I look forward to learning what it takes to run a TV station.

In general, my involvement with the station will revolve around looking for ways to increase its value to our community. This will mean being a community liaison and looking for ways to generate different kinds of programming. The way I see it, this takes two things: volunteers to tape events and ideas.

1. Volunteers

Being a volunteer for JATV is a great opportunity for anyone who has ever wanted to hold a camera and be involved in a production of a TV program. And all that is needed in order to participate, is taking a brief class at JATV.

2. Ideas

There are many possible ideas for new programs, which should cost little to no money to produce. One possibility is a documentary contest. Are you a dislocated worker with a story to tell? Are you a business owner working hard to make it in these tough economic climate? A HD camera can be purchased for under $100 and basic editing software, such as Windows Movie Maker, is available on most computers. It can be also downloaded for free by clicking here

Here's a great article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about the different programming available on public access channels these days. According to the article, a successful public access station provides programming, which is relevant AND accessible to the community. That means being on the web, which right now is a major limitation for JATV. Yes, the station has a website: http://www.jatv.org/ , but we are not broadcasting the station's programs on the air. Yet. Still, while the transition to the web takes place, there are a lot of different things that could be tried in the meantime and I look forward to this challenge.

Finally, an important challenge that lies ahead is determining the appropriate way to honor the memory of Judi Kneece. Judi has been the station's manager almost since its inception in 1997, and the station's accomplishments to a large extent are a credit to Judi and her work. Yesterday, at Judi's funeral, it was clear just what impact she made on people in our community. Honoring Judi's commitment to community service and to women's rights must continue to be recognized.

***

Have ideas? Post them here or email me or the station. JATV's email address is 12.jatv@gmail.com

Here are a couple interesting links to show what other Public Access Stations are doing:

Community access media streaming

Waves of change blog is dedicated to community media from around the world and features some very interesting postings.