In the digital media age, when anyone with a camera phone can
post user-generated videos to myriad social networking and amateur
broadcasting Web sites, are the airwaves being overlooked by
individual community members?
In the digital media age, when anyone with a camera phone can post user-generated videos to myriad social networking and amateur broadcasting Web sites, are the airwaves being overlooked by individual community members?
“Absolutely not,” answered Suzanne St. John-Crane, the executive director of Community Media Access Partnership, a non-profit public, education and government access media center serving Gilroy, Hollister and San Juan Batista. “We are the original YouTube. Actually, it’s the proliferation of digital media that has made our center even more utilized by media-savvy groups in Gilroy, Hollister and San Juan Batista.”
CMAP is celebrating its fifth anniversary on the airwaves. Since its debut in 2003, CMAP’s four Charter cable channels have been up and airing around the clock. CMAP has covered 570 government meetings, has issued over 1,000 certifications for equipment and produces about 50 programs annually for other local non-profits.
CMAP trains residents to use its equipment to produce community based programming that runs the gamut from documentaries to government meetings to student video festivals.
“It provides a forum for regular people in the community to speak on issues that they feel passionate about,” said Jacqui Carrasco who serves on CMAP’s board of directors. “It’s fun because it’s local people talking about local issues.”
View more photos of CMAP in action at our
