OPEN THREAD: Local Media Evolves
The internet is changing the nature of television, and long-standing services, like public-access television, are in the position of re-defining their function. Sites like YouTube make it easier than ever for people to create and share their own movies. How would you like to see your local public-access station, K-GEM, evolve in the next few years?
posted by aw
5 Comments:
KGEM? It's kind of cute but since I dumped cable 7 years ago I have no idea what's going on there anymore. When I did have cable I only rarely flipped it on as what was there was of little substance.
What I would like to see is some free wheeling spirit take on the task of putting together news clips of the stuff going on in town and posting on the net, preferably on joost as it is a much higher quality than YouTube. So much goes on in town that isn't picked up by the local media that we need to know about not just hear about.
8:41 AM
The KGEM of 2007 is not the KGEM of 2000. It's awful weird to comment on how something was seven years ago as though it must be the same today.
6:21 PM
It's a resource that's available to people...and how it can be best utilized now and in the future is what has been on my mind.
12:38 AM
I admit that I do actually watch KGEM. It is definitely a valuable tool for staying connected. Maybe some more "tv" style shows, like reality type shows would be fun. And get to know more people in the community!
1:06 PM
This is a great discussion topic.
For many years the focus of KGEM-TV had been on programmers (local volunteer producers) as KGEM-TV was Monrovia's Public Access Channel.
In 2002, Community Media of the Foothills (the non-profit operator for KGEM-TV) made a conscious decision to move that focus to viewers and transform Ch 3/6 into Monrovia's Educational Access Channel. As a side note, Monrovia's Public Access channel still exists, as KMAC-TV on Ch 98/16.
The idea of 'free wheeling spirits taking on the task of putting together news clips' etc. is exactly how KGEM-TV works. Most of the programming on the channel is created by local volunteers, they put in enormous hard work and effort to communicate about the topics that interest them. What's really cool about this is KGEM-TV provides the cameras, editing equipment and training necessary to create that programming FREE.
Some of these volunteers are already uploading their work onto the internet and we hope many more will follow. Some of the important parts of this transition include breaking programming into internet 'chunks' of under ten minutes, and developing programs that are more than simple talking heads programs. I always enjoy volunteers who get those cameras out into the community!
Throughout the years I've received phone calls, emails and had conversations with people who have fantastic ideas for programming. Here's the challenge: many of them expect that someone else will pick up the ball and run on their ideas. The reality is that YOU are the community and the programming that ends up on KGEM-TV is created by people just like YOU who take their own ball and run with it.
Here's a little secret: usually in the process they grab some friends and family to help out, because TV production is almost always a team effort!
So, to the free wheeling spirits of Monrovia: give me a call and get involved!
Get your programming on the internet and on TV. The future is here.
Jasen Lewis
Executive Director
Community Media of the Foothills
626-357-4974
2:03 PM
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