PegMedia.org

By Alliance for Community Media

Opening up communications markets was the purpose of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. The Act was designed to help phone companies get into the pay-TV business, and cable companies get into the phone business. Yet after a series of regulatory blunders, this promise of increased competition and lower prices has become a distant memory, like 7-Up Gold. And the situation is only getting worse.

Just last month Verizon announced it had signed a $3.6 billion deal with its erstwhile competitors Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. In many ways, this announcement placed a capstone on the grave of the 1996 Telecom Act's biggest promise to America: genuine competition in communications service offerings.
Link to complete article--

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joel-kelsey/verizon-cable-tv_b_1186219.html

"Exactly seventeen years have now passed since the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and the small, landlocked nation has managed to maintain a semblance of stability, avoiding the crises that its neighbors have endured. What is the reason for this? How has this country reconciled its past, and how do victims and perpetrators alike live together in the present?

Charles Annenberg Weingarten and the explore.org Team traveled to Rwanda to answer that very question. The film that resulted from the trip, Raindrops Over Rwanda, focuses on the Kigali Memorial Centre and a young man who survived the genocide and now serves as the Centre's head guide. Raindrops Over Rwanda is now available on PEGMedia for free download.

After explore.org's trip to Rwanda, Honoré Gatera, the main subject of the film, came to the United States for the very first time and sat down with Charlie at Link TV headquarters for a memorable interview. This interview is available as well, and is an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how the movie was made, as well as Honoré's experiences and unique worldview. This amazing film and accompanying interview illuminate how Rwandans can teach the world not only about how to avoid genocide, but also how to heal and forgive in order to live together in the future.

Raindrops Over Rwanda: http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/9273/detail&destination=msvr...

By Ned Lightner, BCTV-2

Belfast Maine PEG television BCTV-2 periodically surveys Belfast residents.

The July BCTV-2 survey results are in and the news is good. Since our survey last September, 2010, viewership and awareness have increased dramatically.

The survey is comprised of 100 Belfast residents, whose names are chosen at random from the local telephone directory. Seventy-five percent of cable subscribers watch the station compared with thirty-six percent in the earlier survey. Sixteen percent watch often and forty-six percent watch occasionally which is a substantial increase from the Fall survey where ten percent watched often and fifteen percent watched occasionally.

A new question on the survey revealed that more people are using the internet for program viewing. In fact, fifty-seven percent of those surveyed reported using a combination of both internet (station website and miro.org) and television to receive programming.

Overall BCTV-2 is very excited to hear that public awareness and viewership is on the rise and they intend to keep bringing quality programming to the community as they go forward into the future.

Smart Boating TV show producer, Paul Jermain, announced the release of the 100th program of the popular Smart Boating local public cable access TV show series today.

The informative weekly TV show, developed to help boaters make more informed, “smarter” decisions about boating topics, first aired in August 2006. Since then, a broad variety of areas have been covered including: boat purchases-new and used; components-propellers, electrical systems and upholstery; boat types- USCG, electric, PT and wooden; boat maintenance-commissioning and winterizing; and safety-weather, life rafts and man overboard procedures, among others. The show episodes are available for download from PegMedia at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/45/detail.

“The show started from humble beginnings,” according to Jermain, “The idea came from a lunchtime conversation with a marine surveyor friend who stated that he thought I could produce a better show than a well-known syndicated boating show that was airing at the time. I was unfamiliar with how to produce a TV show, but felt that my instructional background developed through my Entrepreneurial Training Program work would enable me to produce a quality program. So, I stopped into the local public access cable TV studio the next day and asked for training. Three weeks later, the first show “How to Protect Your Boat in Event of a Hurricane” was produced.”

By Tony Vigue, Portland, Maine

On June 9, 2011, the FCC released a new report titled Information Needs of Communities: The Changing Media Landscape in a Broadband Age. The goal of the report was to identify trends and make recommendations on how the information needs of communities could be met in a broadband world. NATOA members will be particularly interested in Chapter 7: PEG Access Channels.

The entire report may be found at: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-307406A1.pdf

The section on nonprofit media starts on p. 146 -- PEG is discussed in ch. 7 and 27; see pp. 15, 170-175, 298-301, 352, 357 (may be other references sprinkled about).

In many parts of the world – particularly developing countries – mothers face extra burdens just to survive, take care of their children, and contribute to their communities.

To take a deeper look into the lives of the world’s moms, Link TV’s ViewChange.org has partnered with Save the Children to produce a new documentary, ViewChange: The Mothers Index. Come take a global tour of some of the best and worst places to be mom. Learn about Save the Children’s annual “State of the World’s Mothers” report, and the conditions necessary for women and children to thrive.

Along the way, you’ll learn about a life-saving maternal health program in Malawi; a community health program in Nepal that is saving the lives of babies; an education program in Bangladesh that’s empowering young girls, and more – including where the U.S. ranks on the “Mother’s Index.” It is a moving and powerful segment; one that encourages us to give back to the women that help run and foster our world, while reminding us of the work done by our own moms.

Download the 30:00 minute program FREE of charge here:
http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/8543/detail&destination=msvr...

Producers have an option of covering the bandwidth costs for downloads on PegMedia to make the downloads free to stations. When producers cover the cost, the number of stations carrying a program increases dramatically, usually by a factor of three or more.

In order for you as a producer to cover the download costs, you only need to do two simple steps:

1. Select the option for your show. Click on the Producer Show Edit link at the bottom of the page. In the edit page, click on the box "I Would Like to Cover Download Costs" and click on the Save button at the bottom.
2. Put some money in your account. In order for the download costs to be covered, the producer must have a positive balance in their account. Usually a minimum of $20 is suggested. You can add to your account by clicking on the link "Add To Your Account Via PayPal or Check" in the left hand column if this web site.

Cost for each download is 99 cents or less, depending on the length of the video. This is less than the cost of producing and mailing a dvd so also ends up saving the producer money and time vs manual mailing.

Stations will see on the show and the episode pages if the download is being covered by the producer.

Producers covering download costs should monitor their account balance to make sure it stays positive.

NOTE: Each user has only one account balance. As a producer your account would handle any downloading you do plus it would also cover the downloading costs for any of your shows you want to cover as well.

In this In Focus documentary we look at how a natural disaster caught plant managers off guard in this major international nuclear nightmare.

Ever since the earthquake and the following Tsunami hit Japan in March the crisis in and around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been deteriorating.

Emergency workers struggling to prevent an imminent meltdown have had to pull out again and again. Experts are still measuring high levels of radioactivity, in the air and sea near the plant. They’ve detected traces of highly toxic plutonium in the soil nearby.

Engineers are risking their lives trying to get the reactor cooling systems running again. Local residents are living in temporary shelters, increasingly worried about their homes. Tepco, Fukushima’s operators, seem to have lost control of the situation.

This episode can be found on PegMedia for a FREE download at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/8309/detail&destination=msvr...

Link TV and explore have teamed up again for a brand new special episode - "Adrenaline Junkie." The explore Team makes their way from Hawaii to Venice Beach to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, seeking out new adventure sports and learning how rescuers keep thrill seekers safe. They speak with elite Jet Ski rescue lifeguards on the North Shore of Oahu, film inspirational wheelchair athletes in Venice Beach, California, and accompany an avalanche rescue team on a heart-pounding mission in the deep powder of Wyoming's Rockies. On the way, they explore what makes humans push the boundaries of physics in the never-ending pursuit of adrenaline.

Download the 23:43 program FREE of charge here:

http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/7891/detail&destination=msvr...

Also, Link TV and explore are proud to present a new explore film "Darfur - Quest for the Human Spirit." The explore Team traveled to Darfur, Sudan, home to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. They travel with Merlin, a British medical NGO that works in the region. explore founder Charles Annenberg Weingarten and his team are taken by helicopter to a refugee camp in southern Darfur. The roads are too dangerous to travel, and Charlie has little idea of what to expect when the helicopter touches down. After meeting the people in the refugee camp, bonding with young and old, he is astonished by the ability of the human spirit to endure incredible hardship and remain resolute.

Download the 22:18 program FREE of charge here:

http://pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/7748/detail&destination=msvr%2Fs...

An exciting live concert performance by 2-time Independent Music Award winner, guitarist/vocalist/harmonica player, Thaddeus Hogarth is now available on PegMedia.

This performace was filmed at the Bose World Headquarters Theater in Massachusetts and features Thaddeus' original R&B/Blues compositions with an all star band.

This multi-camera film was directed by Marc Serra, producer of Mostly Rock 'n' Roll at Shrewsbury Media Connection in Shrewsbury, MA.

This concert was a celebration for Thaddeus winning his second Independent Music Award for Best R&B Album. This winning album, Live At Bose (1) was recorded using live music performance technology developed by Bose, and represented a collaboration with Thaddeus and Bose to create great music and great sound.

The concert features high energy R&B/Blues grooves, with many wonderful musical highlights including a ballad duet with acclaimed France-based jazz singer, Robin McKelle.

The show is available as a free download from PegMedia at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/545/detail.

(Photo Credit: Dan Rapoza)

Video of last week's Assembly hearing on A3766. The companion bill in the Senate had removed PEG TV the week before; the Assembly bill was amended to protect PEG TV.

http://bit.ly/ihj3UY

Congratulations, Team Jersey!

~ Rob McCausland

Europe is a diverse part of the globe with many languages and cultures. With Deutsche Welle’s 50-plus years of covering Europe for the world, our producers and journalists know the Continent just a bit better, and European Journal is our showcase of what we do with that knowledge and understanding. The stories in Europe are important ones and deserve more than the occasional 30 seconds on the nightly news.

Fifty-two times a year, DW-TV provides viewers worldwide with a fascinating mix of stories exploring the important political, economic and cultural developments in Europe. Each week presenters Cathy Smith and Jim Gibbons provide their unique take on stories unfolding across the Atlantic, telling the story with compelling video, strong reporting, and a good sense of humor.

Details on European Journal can be found at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/533/detail and all download costs are covered by Deutsche Welle and are FREE to all stations.

What a perfect way to both create a fascinating and active lifestyle by touring and taping the many highlights of Southern California and the Southwest by creating a television series that provides all of this. "OUT & ABOUT WITH ROGER MARTIN" has provided just that by first investigating points of interest and then going after them with a video camera. This has been happening since March of 1991 and continues non-stop with Roger Martin and his producer-editor Jim Lichnerowicz.

Even though this is a California-based show, it can be of interest to viewers everywhere. Roger's adventures cover a wide spectrum of entertainment and education as the series explores arts, nature and wildlife, history, leisure and sports activities to celebrate the breathless excitement of the famous California West Coast, providing a valuable source of information and entertainment.

Preview Our Episodes And Find Our Downloads Here -
http://pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/522/detail

The Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy made 15 recommendations on how America can have a bright info-future. One of those recommendations was for increased support for public media predicated on public media efforts to "step up," for lack of a better term.

For the full story, see http://www.pbs.org/idealab/2011/01/spotus-survey-shows-support-for-more-...

The local access station in Honolulu asked us to come in and tape a report on our UN trip that raised awareness of the dire condition of native Hawaiians.

One show led to the next, and before long we were a series interviewing others who were discovering their own small part in helping create a brighter future for Hawaii.

That’s how Voices Of Truth – One-On-One With Hawaii’s Future was born.

Winner of the 2009 WAVE Video Awards, Voices Of Truth seeks to inspire viewers to become active participants in creating a better future for wherever they live.

Whether you watch Voices Of Truth for our guests and their fascinating message or Hawaii's breathtaking scenery, you'll come away amazed, uplifted and wanting more.

Preview Our Shows And Find Our FREE Downloads Here - http://pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/338/detail

PEG stations are in interesting/trying times with changes in funding, technolgy, media distribution and society. These times can be destructive, or they can create opportunities. Hopefully the later prevails.

One of the best ways of dealing with a changing situation is to have as much information available as possible. PegMedia has a large number of stations and producers visit each day. We are starting to run polls for stations and producers (usually separate), a new one each week or so.

We hope you'll respond to these by voting in our polls...the more respondents, the better the information.

And, if you have suggestions for a poll, please email "admin - a - t - pegmedia.org".

Bob Nichols
PegMedia

By Gloria Tristani, former Federal Communications Commission commissioner. Originally published in the Midland (Michigan) Daily News.

Public, Educational, and Governamental (PEG) channels throughout Michigan have long delivered diverse community and local programming over cable and other video networks. These channels owe their existence to the franchise agreements that municipalities negotiate with video providers in exchange for allowing the providers to use the public rights-of-way. PEG access channels empower individuals and groups to use the media to educate and enrich their communities. It is television by the people and for the people. In Midland last summer the access channel, MCTV Network, together with the fire department produced a popular video on fireworks safety which is now used by many government agencies including FEMA. MCTV has also partnered with community agencies such as United Way by producing Cancer Services, which programming has touched many lives.

MCTV and other PEG access channels allow citizens to see their local governments and leaders at work. They are also places where young and older people can learn to use and produce media. At a time when we see the major media companies are becoming increasingly consolidated — with the cable behemoth Comcast about to absorb NBC/Universal — it is refreshing to see the people's channels in action.

PEG channels, however, are at risk nationwide. In 2006 Michigan passed the Uniform Video Services Local Franchise Act which established a statewide uniform franchising agreement eliminating local control and eroding PEG funding sources. A number of other states followed suit and in Washington, D.C., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) further chipped away at local control. While state and federal actions may have been aimed to spur competition among video providers they failed to produce the intended results and instead were detrimental to PEG channels and to consumers. The combined state and federal actions undercut PEG funding and limited local governments' ability to require video providers to create new PEG channels.

From Tony Vigue, South Portland, Maine

As we have all understood for many years, there is more first-run locally produced PEG programming (by community) than all locally produced programming from the three or four network affiliates combined (by community).

The recent survey results (see story "PEG Channels Are A Major Source Of Local Programming" following this) from stations all over the country bears this out. In comparison, most of the commercial network affiliates just rebroadcast non-locally produced programming from the network. Local news is repeated all day so repeats are not “new” programming.

Once again this is the type of data that the FCC should be collecting that we, as Community Television Stations, have to collect to educate them. More often, the FCC decisions overlook the importance of Community Television contributions to our communities and society in general and instead are the result of industry lobbyists seeking to further their bottom line at the expense of the consumer.

November, 2010 – The Alliance for Community Media (“ACM”), in partnership with The Buske Group, recently completed an online survey regarding first-run, locally produced programming on public, educational and governmental (“PEG”) cable access channels.

More than 200 PEG Access Centers participated in the survey, with responses from 37 states and the District of Columbia. Key findings indicate that PEG Access facilities are very often the leading provider of local, original programming in communities across the United States:

• Total number of hours of first run, locally-produced programs at participating PEG centers during 2009: 245,383
• Average (mean) per facility: 1,180 hours (98 hours per month)
• Sixty (60) respondents reported that they presented over 25 hours per week of first run, local programs during 2009.
• Thirty-one (31) respondents reported that they presented over 40 hours per week of first run, local programs during 2009.

“PEG Access channels provide an impressive array of community-based programming, including candidates’ forums, government and school board meetings, youth-produced programs, job training, local parades, high school sports, local performing artists, and more. The information from this survey about the amount of locally-produced content that they generate is further evidence of the importance of PEG Access Centers,” said survey coordinator Randy VanDalsen of The Buske Group.

Sylvia Strobel, Executive Director of the ACM stated that “The number of hours of original programming produced by our members highlight the critical “local” service PEG Access Centers provide to educate, inform and enhance the lives of their communities. As local sources of news and information continue to disappear, the role of, and need for, PEG Access Centers continues to increase.”

In addition to the ACM, several key national partners assisted in deploying the survey, including the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.

The story begins in the summer of 2004, when the Mayor of Lewiston, Maine announced a plan to develop a four-lane boulevard across downtown's low-income neighborhood. The project was going to displace 850 people from their homes as well as destroy playgrounds, vegetable gardens, and historic buildings. As tragic as the circumstances were, the threat of a road destroying the neighborhood required residents to rise to the challenge of becoming community organizers and resist the city's plan.

Neighbor by Neighbor documents 5 years of development and community organizing in Lewiston, Maine. It's an incredible story of people coming together to protect their homes, hold their political leaders accountable, and work towards creating a democratic planning process that honors the input of low-income people as much as any other person's voice.

Before the 2008 Presidential Election, "community organizer" was a term rarely heard in mainstream media or pop culture. While the term became popularized through Barack Obama's campaign, most people still don't understand what community organizing actually looks like. Neighbor by Neighbor shows how it can make a difference. And although this is a Maine-based movie, the target viewing audience is nation-wide.

"In the wave of politically engaged documentaries made in the last decade, Neighbor by Neighbor stands out. This is not just a film about a social issue; it springs directly from the struggle for justice by the marginalized residents of one of America's forgotten industrial cities. This is what political documentary should look like." -Maple Razsa, Activist/Filmmaker, EnMasse Films

Neighbor by Neighbor has screened at the Maine International Film Festival, Maine African Film Festival, American Planners Association National Conference 2010, and is being shown in college and university classrooms across the United States. It is available to DOWNLOAD FOR FREE under "Maine Made Movies" http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/500/detail here on Pegmedia.org, courtesy of Round Point Movies.

From the Republican Journal, Belfast, Maine By Ethan Andrews

Belfast, Maine — On Halloween night, Ned Lightner, the do-it-all director of Belfast Community Television Channel 2, set up a camera along the notorious trick-or-treaters' corridor, Cedar Street in Belfast, Maine.

Lightner was dressed in yellow foul-weather gear and a sou'wester and as the camera rolled he proceeded to interview a line of people in costume. It was a lot like many of the shows he airs on the local public-access station. The difference was, this time — for the first time — it was live on location.

For as long as Lightner has been broadcasting, live broadcasts could be done in one of two ways: in the studio or using a satellite transmission truck. Broadcasters were either bound to the studio or forced to cough up thousands of dollars to rent a truck and buy a few hours on a satellite channel.

The Internet is beginning to offer a third option. For the Cedar Street broadcast, Lightner's camera was connected to a laptop via a device the size of a pack of gum that converts the camera's signal.

A resident granted Lightner permission to use his home wireless signal, and from the laptop, Lightner was able to upload the live feed to the Internet.

Back at the BC-TV studio, a different device was pulling the Web stream and broadcasting it on cable TV channel 2. The process created a delay of around 30 seconds, but it was essentially a live broadcast. Better still, the whole setup cost around $1,200 and fits in a backpack.

For full story, see http://waldo.villagesoup.com/news/story/bc-tv-airs-first-live-on-locatio...

Most of us understand that there’s something extremely wrong about dangerous psychiatric drugs being pushed upon 8 million US school children, nearly half the elderly in nursing homes, 17% of the US military and high percentages of foster children and prisoners, but why and how is this happening?

Citizens Commission on Human Rights (www.cchr.org) is proud to announce its latest in a long line of award winning productions.

"Marketing of Madness, Are we all insane?" consists of six cable tv length segments which can be played independently of each other and in any sequence. Each segment will keep viewers on the edge of their seats!

"Marketing of Madness" provides audiences with a rare, candid, behind the scenes look into the often-times illegal pharmaceutical marketing machine. Experts and insiders as well as victims have come forward to share their stories and expose the truth about this multi-billion dollar industry.

To protect your viewers, their children and grandparents from the drug marketing that attacks us from every direction, please preview our shows and find our FREE downloads here: www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/118/detail

In preparation for the holiday weekend, Link TV is happy to announce the release of two brand new 30-minute explore programs, which make up the chilling special, "explore: Witchcraft and Space".

Please visit the following links to download each program, free of charge:

explore: Salem Witch Hunt - http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/6648/detail&destination=msvr...
In PART ONE of the eerie special, "explore: Witchcraft and Space", explore.org brings you the chilling film Salem Witch Hunt, a stark portrayal of how prejudice and fear can lead a deeply religious community into turmoil. In 1692, mass hysteria engulfed the small Puritan community of Salem, Massachusetts. By the fall of 1692, 150 citizens had been accused of witchcraft — those that did not confess were hanged. Travel through history with Charlie and the explore Team to uncover the bizarre origins, innocent victims and final resolution of the infamous Salem Witch Hunt.

explore: Special Episode 17 - Space - http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/6649/detail&destination=msvr...
In PART TWO of the eerie special, "explore: Witchcraft and Space", join filmmaker and philanthropist Charles Annenberg Weingarten and the explore Team on their visit to Charlie's hometown, Roswell, New Mexico, the site of what some call the largest government cover-up of the past century: the Roswell UFO crash of 1947. Then, meet the children of Marsh Fork Elementary in Sundial, West Virginia, where the very coal mining that supports the community also threatens the local students. And, get a glimpse of where astronomers go to peer into the heavens, at the Keck Observatory atop a dormant volcano in Hawaii.

Note: These programs are best presented when paired together, as a 1-hour special under the title of explore: Witchcraft and Space, but we've uploaded them separately to accommodate channels used to explore's regular 30-minute format.

Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning filmmaker Dorothy Fadiman launches new collection of award winning documentary films on current U.S. election issues. The collection includes STEALING AMERICA Vote by Vote, RECLAIMING THEIR VOICE: The Native American Vote in New Mexico and From the BACK-ALLEYS to the SUPREME COURT & BEYOND. These films discuss important issues, such as voting irregularities, minority suffrage and reproductive rights that should be on people’s minds as we approach the November 2010 election.

Fadiman’s newest film in this collection RECLAIMING Their VOICE follows Native Americans in New Mexico taking a stand against injustice in the political process. The film premiered in New Mexico in October 2010 at the Duke City Doc Fest where it was awarded the “Best New Mexico Film Award”. It is based on personal stories that demonstrate how minority communities are using their voting rights as they participate more fully in elections. Critics have called it "... both heartbreaking and eye opening. A 'must see' to understand how fragile our democracy is”
 (Nancy Stapp -Taos, NM, Winner of Women in Radio Award).

To find out more about the films in this NEW collection on CURRENT ELECTION ISSUES, visit and download the films for FREE on the following PEG Media sites:

Click here to download RECLAIMING Their VOICE for FREE today!

Click here to download STEALING AMERICA for FREE today!

Click here to download From the BACK-ALLEYS to the SUPREME COURT & BEYOND - A SERIES OF FOUR INDIVIDUAL FILMS ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS for FREE today!

East Bay Media Center Bestows Renown Digital Halo Media Activist Award

Voices Of Truth – One-On-One With Hawai`i’s Future, a weekly award-winning television show broadcast throughout Hawai`i, the US, internationally and on the web, has been awarded the prestigious Digital Halo Media Activist Award by the East Bay Media Center.

The award is given annually to filmmakers who have been judged to have successfully spread ideas online and galvanized community action.

“This award recognizes the Koani Foundation’s successful use of digital media for social change within Hawai`i,” states Paul Kealoha Blake of East Bay Media Center. "Voices Of Truth” and all the work the Koani Foundation does throughout Hawai`i and the world exemplifies excellence in media and social justice.”

The East Bay Media Center, which produces the Berkeley Video and Film Festival annually, recognizes activists internationally working for social change through digital media.

“We’re thrilled to receive this important award and recognition,” remarked `Ehu Kekahu Cardwell, a director of the Koani Foundation. “We remain strongly committed to the use of the Internet as a means to educate the world about a Free Hawai`i.”

Voices Of Truth – One-On-One With Hawai`i’s Future, a winner of the 2009 WAVE Video Awards, has already been announced as a 2010 finalist. The WAVE Video Awards is a regional video competition in nine western US states.

Voices Of Truth airs on local access television throughout Hawai`i and is broadcast on Peg Media here - http://pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/338/detail