PegMedia.org

If Google TV takes off an franchising is no longer necessary, there goes our major funding source. But are there ways to use this to our advantage instead?

For an interesting article, see "Hollywood Fears Google TV" at http://www.lightreading.com/blog.asp?blog_sectionid=423&doc_id=195872&si...

Time Warner has posted second quarter earnings which beat most analyst expectations.

The company lost 111,000 basic video subscribers, but gained 50,000 digital subscribers.

Revenues for the second quarter of 2010 increased 5.8% from the second quarter of 2009 to $4.7 billion. Subscription revenues grew 5.1% year-over-year to $4.5 billion, driven by a 4.2% increase in residential subscription revenues and a 20.2% increase in commercial subscription revenues.

Details are at http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Time-Warner-Cable-Earnings-Again-Beat... and http://ir.timewarnercable.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=207717&p=irol-newsArticle&...

By Tony Vigue, South Portland, Maine

Sad News. Reno’s SNCAT channel shut down yesterday, following in the footsteps of several other prominent community channels across the country. Nevada eliminated all PEG support in its statewide franchise law (which, surprise, surprise, was written with support from telcom attorneys as in several other states*) and the city just couldn’t make up the difference any more.

SNCAT was an award winning station in existence for 20 years. We could lose as many as 400 channels in the next few years due to elimination of PEG funding in 6 states. Many stations in Wisconsin are also close to shutting down for similar reasons and that is what prompted Rep. Tammy Baldwin to write HR3745.

*Source: Broadband Reports http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/82501

From Tony Vigue, South Portland, Maine.

Many news stories about the plight of our local channels cross my desk, but I thought you might like to see this one about the Durham, NC Public Access channel. Their issues mirror those of many communities in Maine although, fortunately we don't have one statewide franchise that eliminates PEG support funding, (giving the cable operators even more profits than they already enjoy!)

The funding issues described in this article are similar to Maine in that the State and the municipalities funnel off most franchise fee revenue into the general fund, esp. during difficult times, leaving the stations without the resources to produce long term quality programming. What they do produce on their limited funding however, is remarkable, as it is here in Maine.

http://www.indyweek.com:80/indyweek/durham-community-media-programming-a...

To raise awareness about one of the nation’s biggest, costliest, and fastest-growing health problems, Hopkinton Community Television, the Massachusetts Medical Society, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, have collaborated to produce "Diabetes: Chronic Epidemic", a special presentation of HCAM-TV/Mass. Medical Society’s monthly show Physician Focus.

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S., with nearly 24 million adults and children having the condition. And its incidence keeps rising: each year, 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed in those 20 years and older. By one estimate, the number of cases will double in the next 25years. The disease is the leading cause of blindness and kidney disease in the U.S. and a major cause of amputations, stroke, and heart disease.

The one-hour program takes an in-depth look at a condition that has become a major public health crisis as much as a personal medical condition. Designed as a basic primer on the disease, "Diabetes: Chronic Epidemic" features physicians, public health officials, and diabetes educators discussing the types of the disease, its prevalence and impact, and how to live with and treat the disease -- and how to avoid it. The show also includes two public service spots and a list of resources for more information.

View "Diabetes: Chronic Epidemic" here www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/5268/detail

Older adults have a right and desire to enjoy life to its fullest. This desire, combined with the show’s professional production detail and passion of the show’s guests and staff, have rapidly drawn viewers in over 95 television markets from coast to coast, reaching over 5 million households. According to its host, Gregory Bator, “Graceful Aging hit its 1000th download sooner than I ever anticipated or imagined. Personally, I view every download as significantly improving at least one life. PegMedia and the stations joining our Graceful Aging community share in our pride. With each episode aired, we know that the lives of older adults and their families greatly benefit. Together we are using the power of community access television for the good of our country.”

Graceful Aging is a show designed to promote living safe, healthy, and dignified. Host Gregory Bator asks interesting questions of wonderful guests. Each guest is selected for their experience and knowledge. Guests include professional chefs, FBI Agents, renowned geriatric care managers, home security experts, assistive technology gurus, authors, marriage therapists, dementia specialists, geriatric medical professionals, and many others.

Each episode focuses on a single topic important to older adults and those concerned. Driving for older adults, home safety, fall prevention, dementia issues, marriage and dating are samples of past shows. Each show is guided towards practical useful information by host and producer Gregory Bator. “Our goal for every show is to enhance and improve an older adult’s life. Spouses, family members, and friends often struggle with aging issues. We tackle and unravel those struggles,” says Bator. Show access is at: http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/284/detail.

Gregory Bator, when not producing Graceful Aging or conducting charity auctioneering, practices law in Michigan.

To download episodes of a show, go to a particular show's description page. You can get there by going to "Quick List of all Shows" in the right hand column of the web site. For each episode which is downloadable you will see a green down arrow which indicates it's available for download. Depending on the browser you have and the operating system, you typically click the left mouse button and save the file to the correct folder on your machine.

If your machine is configured to start playing the file instead of saving it, you can use a right mouse button click on that green arrow and on a Windows machine, select from the menu "Save Target As" to save the file to your machine. On a MAC, after the right mouse button click, select "Download Linked File As..." from the menu.

If the green download arrow is gray (), you probably are not logged into pegmedia.org.

If the green download arrow is a red upload arrow (), the file is still being uploaded to our media servers.

Although your browser can download files directly, on MAC's and Windows machines there are download managers which will allow you to queue up multiple downloads as well as having a faster and more reliable download. For Windows, we highly recommend the Free Download Manager at www.freedownloadmanager.org. This product will allow you to queue multiple downloads and, if desired, to schedule them to happen off hours.

If you use a download manager, typically you should configure it to download a single file at a time. Even if you are only downloading one file, they typically download multiple segments of it in parallel to increase download speed.

Using Internet Explorer for multiple simultaneous downloads:

For those users who prefer to use the native capabilities of Internet Explorer instead of a Download Manager, there is a limit to the number of concurrent threads allowed. IE7 only allows 2 and IE8 allows 6. To fix these limits refer to this link:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282402.

You can then have multiple downloads happening simultaneously using Internet Explorer. Thanks to Doug McAllister at Amerherst Community Access Television for this information!

Producers now 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.

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.

If you'd like to see your spending on downloads, click on "My Account" in the left hand column of PegMedia website pages.

It will show you the current balance, how much you've added and how much you've used. It will also show you the amount of show downloads covered by producers of those shows.

In addition, if you're a producer covering download costs, you can see your current balance and how much you've spend.

“Smart Boating” is produced by Paul Jermain at Cape Ann TV, Massachusetts public access station, and covers a wide range of boating related topics from what to do when a hurricane is on the way, engines, maintenance, engines, painting, buying a selling, interesting boats (such as Coast Guard boats, Electric boats, PT boats, Hovercraft, Classic speedboats), and on and on at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/45/detail.

“Smart Boating’ is excellent for stations near the coastline, but also for those near rivers, lakes, and any navigable water. The shows are of interest, not only to experience and novice boaters, but anyone who has even a casual interest in boats. Although the show is filmed in Gloucester, Massachusetts, it has national appeal.

Probably many stations know this trick, but in case you don't here's a short video on it from
http://www.instructables.com/id/Video-Camera-Super-Trick/

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

Singer-songwriter, David Mallett, is one of America’s true original troubadours.

In a career spanning four decades, he has recorded 14 albums, had several hundred covers of his songs, including the American folk classic Garden Song [Inch by Inch, Row by Row] and performed in clubs, concert halls and festivals across the US, Canada and Europe. He has appeared on numerous broadcasts, including National Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion. Known for his carefully written, poetic offerings, his body of work has provided material for an eclectic list of artists that includes Alison Krauss, Pete Seeger, Hal Ketchum, Emmylou Harris, John Denver and the Muppets.

This concert video was recorded at the Chocolate Church in Bath, Maine, and includes many of David's Classic songs.

He is accompanied by his 5 piece band. The show runs about 80 minutes and can be found at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/396/detail.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes view of our first Peak Moment Conversation taped with a remote guest — Carolyn Baker in Boulder, Colorado — with Janaia in our home “studio” in the kitchen (chosen for the interesting background).

What you’re seeing is Janaia talking with Carolyn using Skype internet video on her computer.

In the foreground is the camera which is videotaping Janaia and storing it directly on Robyn’s computer, where you see the image on the screen.

President Obama says the stimulus saved or created millions of jobs. But is the recovery really working? The American dream of good jobs and strong communities is still just a dream for too many. The unfair economy hurts certain groups more, and that ends up hurting everyone. From the bottom line to the unemployment line to the color line, watch a new in-depth program from Link TV and the Applied Research Center for a closer look: ColorLines: Race and Economic Recovery.

ColorLines: Race and Economic Recovery follows communities making ends meet in the Great Recession. The program narrates the moving story of Tisha, mother of three in Connecticut, facing a social safety net shredded further by the crisis. Then the program goes to Los Angeles where community-based organization SCOPE has mobilized to win green jobs for communities of color. You will also meet some students from Oakland’s Green Jobs program.

For more details on ColorLines, see http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/4526/detail&destination=msvr...

The production value is quite high and the show is very interesting. The Hot and Cold shows were originally for commercial use, but have had all the advertising edited out. However, there are still break points if stations which to insert a local message. Shows are just under a half hour.

The producer and host, Tom Gocze, currently also has a radio show and newpaper column in Maine.

The show is at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/8/detail on PegMedia.

If you have a charter.net email address and are trying to sign up for a PegMedia account or communicate with PegMedia via email, Charter is currently blocking PegMedia email. We have sent a request to be unblocked, but are waiting to hear back from them.

In the meantime, if you have a gmail or other address, that would be the best one to use.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Link TV produces a new set of high quality videos each three months and has just uploaded the new set for the first quarter of 2010 under the show title "Link TV 2010 Q1" at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/355/detail.

In this latest batch, you'll find a new Earth Focus episode, three new World Music episodes, and three new Explore episodes to add to your lineup! In addition, we have included a handful of feature length documentaries that explore faraway worlds and themes that come close to home ranging from Pop Art to Human Rights, Anthropology and Apartheid to Shopping, AIDS to Love, and as usual, much more.

For the menu options Quick List of All Shows, Shows From Your State, and Shows From Selected State, you will now see the shows for which the download charge has been covered by the producer at the beginning of the listing.

These shows have no download charge to your, courtesy of the producer.

We encourage you to use both the shows for which there is no charge to you as well as the ones which have the small download fee. The more networking we have, the better.

In fairness to the producers, please only download shows which you will actually be broadcasting.

The download charge is based on 50 cents per gigabyte. However, that made large files be somewhat expensive (up to $2.50 for a 5 Gigabyte file).

The server cost for PegMedia has a fixed component and one that is based on file size. Upon working with the numbers we found that an adjustment would be possible while keeping PegMedia self-supporting.

Therefore, in order to help level the cost across videos, the charge has been changed so that it is still based on the 50 cents per gigabyte, but now the maximum charge per download is 99 cents.

This would apply both to sponsored and unsponsored shows.

Incomplete downloads still remain as no charge.

You'll see the new pricing in show listings effective immediately.

The content on this site is to be used only by community television (PEG) stations and only for their broadcast on cable channels and live-streaming of their cable channel signal for non-commercial purposes only. The content on this site is not available for on-demand streaming, additional distribution or other purposes.

With the changes in PegMedia.org to have the costs of downloading covered by the downloading stations, we have added a few new functions.

As a result of recent rulings by the FCC and the adoption of Statewide Franchises in several states which have compromised the signal quality, financial support and availability of PEG channels, Congressional Representative Tammy Baldwin (WI-D), introduced HR 3745 "To amend the Communications Act of 1934” "to provide for carriage and display of public, educational, and government channels in a manner consistent with commercial channels, and for other purposes".

More info about this important legislation and how you can participate if you wish to contact your Congressional Representative and Representative Baldwin to voice your support can be found at http://www.alliancecm.org/cap. This ACM write-up is well worth reading and well worth following the various links. Certainly the cable companies will be speaking up in opposition, but this is our chance to potentially make a difference in our future by letting our Representatives know how important this is to PEG stations.

With the support of Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, Marlow Bevan and Milla Sunde set up The Green Children Foundation, to help support micofinance, education and healthcare initiatives. With the dissemination of original songs and moving videos, The Green Children promote various ways of helping the poor around the world, and raise money through the sale of their music.

"Hear Me Now", written and performed by The Green Children, Milla and Marlow, is a touching music video filmed entirely in the rural villages of Bangladesh, illustrating the women borrowers of 'Grameen Bank', or the 'bank for the poor', and promoting micro-finance as a means to eradicating poverty.

Watch or download this show at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/3148/detail.

The PegMedia growth has been phenomenal. One producer describes it as "PegMedia continues to grow like a radiation-exposed gila monster".

We're now over 1000 stations and producers signed up and using the system. We have thousands of hours of programming online and over 2,000 downloads per week.

Thanks for being part of the PegMedia community and helping to make this work. And thanks to all the stations and producers who have helped us spread the word to other stations and producers!

"Gorillas...98.6% Human" is a great new episode now up on Link TV Explore.

On a trip to Rwanda, Explore had the opportunity to visit four families of wild mountain gorillas, a species with only 720 remaining members. Their guide is Craig Sholley, who has been intimately involved in the preservation of African wildlife for more than 30 years. The team's thrilling interaction with these peaceful creatures - who share 98.6% of their genetic makeup with humans - is a startling reminder of their own humanity.

To preview or download this program, go to our PegMedia episode page at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/2365/detail&destination=msvr...

Links:

Maui Film Festival award: http://www.mauifilmfestival.com/mffw_awards.php
Explore.org: http://www.linktv.org/explore/africa/films/176

And if you like this Explore episode, please check out all the other episodes for Explore at http://www.pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/2/detail

Is peace really possible in today's world?

The Words of Peace community television series offers an answer that resonates with millions of viewers worldwide. "Peace needs to be in everyone's life," says Prem Rawat, whose message is featured on the show.

"The peace we are looking for is within. It is in the heart, waiting to be felt. It is not the world that needs peace; it is people. When people in the world are at peace within, the world will be at peace."

Voice for Peace

This series features Prem Rawat, widely known as Maharaji, a leading voice for peace.

He has traveled the globe for four decades, sharing his message of hope and personal fulfillment with millions of people in venues ranging from major metropolitan centers to remote rural areas. His message and humanitarian efforts have been recognized by civic organizations and governments throughout the world.

The International University of Peace in Brazil has awarded him the title Ambassador for Peace. Audiences the world over find his style engaging, enlightening, and entertaining.

“Global Pulse is Link TV’s global news series that compares and contrasts TV news stories from around the world.

Each fast-moving weekly 5-minute episode of Global Pulse focuses on one important news event – how that event was reported in the country where it happened, in regions of the world where points of view differ from our own, and in the US, where non-American information is usually filtered, and sometimes blocked.

Each episode of Global Pulse distills important details and unexpected perspectives from its database of over 40 daily half-hour news programs: ranging from Fox News to Al Jazeera to Venezuela’s Telesur to the BBC to Iran’s Press TV. Global Pulse is often out front of US news networks on breaking stories, because we have a broader vantage point.

One of our jewels on the PegMedia.org lineup of shows is “Explore” from Link TV.

Explore is based on a concept developed by and advanced under the leadership of Charles Annenberg Weingarten, with the support of the Annenberg Foundation. Explore is a philanthropic multimedia organization that makes documentary films and photographs to showcase extraordinary nonprofit efforts and leaders around the world.