2020 Fish Frenzy Update

As of 5pm today, PEGPETIA applications submitted last Friday (the deadline) were posted. # applications 36 PEG $ 4,081,135.47 35.79% 60 Ed $ 7,320,841.76 64.21% 96 total $11,401,977.23 There are applications from the state Commission on Educational Technology, the State Library, and the CT Educational Network. There’s a second application from the Town of Groton […]

2020 Fish Frenzy: A Quick Preview

By the afternoon of January 30, the PURA website stopped showing new applications for Docket # 19-11-01 “Public Educational and Governmental Programming and Educational Technology Investment Account Program Pursuant to Public Act 07-253. ” The program was supposed to be open to applications until the end of January 31, but the total dollar amount of […]

Why did Comcast cave?

[continued from How Community Voice Channel Got High Definition] The Buske Group keeps track of PEG channels that have HD channels from various cable providers. Their latest list from last November includes PEGs in Comcast territory, many with smaller populations than Comcast Vernon’s area, most with a much higher population density (because: Buildout… right?). Comcast […]

How Community Voice Channel Got High Definition

In a land without a franchise renewal process, O Best Beloved, there once was a CAP (that is, a Community Access Provider). It was neither too big or too small, serving just seven fairly rural towns. OK, that’s enough Kiplingese for now. In plain English: we have puzzled over how—in Connecticut where all 5% of […]

Nick Lavigne pointing out equipment to Jennifer Evans — After talking about the future of community access media in the conference/break room, Community Voice Channel’s executive director Nick Lavigne gave us all a tour of the facility, starting with the attic. Here he is showing transmission equipment to Jennifer Evans, West Hartford Community Interactive, who recorded this tour on her phone. All photos in this sequence were taken by Stephen Mindera, Skye Cable XIII.

Another rack of equipment. — Send-receive equipment in the attic of Community Voice Channel.

Three people in the studio's control room — Pua Ford (Woodbridge Govt. Access TV) and Jennifer Evans listen to Nick Lavigne explain how the studio’s control room equipment was put together.

A smiling young man — Chris Morgan (Valley Shore Community TV) was also there…

another woman in the control room — … as was Karen Handville, Simsbury Community TV. Jenny Hawran (Win-TV, Windsor) was also in this shot, but not in focus. The only reason to leave her out is because you would never have recognized her from the photo.

two women chatting in the back of the studio — Actually, here’s another blurry shot of Jenny talking to Karen.

plastic plants and other props in boxes on a desk crammed into a corner — Props–I forget where these are stored.

Part of a small television studio with blue curtain and hanging lights — A view of the CVC studio.

another view of the studio, showing more hanging lights

another view of the studio witj off-white curtains and a ladder

another view of the studio with more of the pipes where lights hang — How the lights are hung in the CVC studio. When we first walked into this space, Jenny remarked to Karen Handville, “How do you like these high ceilings?” Karen sighed with longing.

the ceiling of the studio, with lights and a small camera — Look for the BlackMagic camera, hung for shots from above.

another view of the studio ceiling and a small BlackMagic camera — Here it is….

Karen Handville walking toward a studio camera — Other people’s toys are always more interesting.

three studio camera on rolling stands with the control room window behind them — The three ground-level studio cameras, with all accessories. (I hope someone can remind me if they were JVC or Panasonics–or maybe they can just tell by looking.)

A studio camera, with Nick Lavigne's arms as he shows it off — Nick explained how he put each of these camera outfits together.

a light projection of Santa Claus, sleigh, and two reindeer on an off-white curtain of the studio — One more cool thing they can do in the studio, obviously seasonal.

the building lobby, with a Christmas tree, poinsettia on a table, as well as a widescreen TV on the wall — Behind that tree, you can see a TV screen with a four-way split for the P, E, and G channels plus (I think) the running notification of the Public channel’s new number as a high-definition channel.

Meet & Greet at Community Voice Channel

We have a date to get together in Bolton, where Community Voice Channel provides community access for the seven towns in the Comcast Vernon area. Thursday, December 5 1:00pm at 105 Notch Road We can tell you what more we heard about the national lawsuit against the FCC, what other states are doing with their […]

Who wants to go to Portland?

Make your plans now for the 2019 Northeast Regional Conference and Trade Show. It’s in Portland, Maine for Hallowe’en and the day after (Thursday-Friday). Trade Show is on Thursday, workshops are Thursday afternoon and Friday all day. Awards for the Nor’easter video competition will be Thursday night. Thanks to funding from the ACM Northeast Board, […]

FCC September 2018 meeting

Community media operations in Connecticut do not receive what such operations receive in other states. CT community media also is not as threatened by possible regulatory changes as it is in other states. The state has been the Local Franchising Authority since before the 2007 act that introduced “competitive video service.” Since the state is […]

Holding your breath for the Proverbial Fat Lady

We think the PEGPETIA program is coming back. We are waiting to exhale. A state budget bill for both appropriations and revenue (HB 7424) includes a section (350) that repeals CT General Statutes section 16-331ii, the one that you take away the funding for community access capital expenses every year. Another section (370) returns 2 […]

Equipment available to a good home

Simbury Community TV has 3 media shelving units and a tall rack “if there’s anyone out there who could use them.” The shelving looks like this. If you have something you can’t use anymore, would like to give away or sell it, send us a note at connecticutacm@gmail.com.

Connecticut ACM

Connecticut Alliance for Community Media