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BCTV Cable Channel 2
Belfast -- Searsport

Belfast Community TV’s mission is to reflect and strengthen the unique spirit and character of Belfast, Maine in order to enrich the lives of residents and visitors in the Midcoast region by fostering communication, free speech, artistic expression as well as creating opportunities through television and other electronic media.

BCTV Program director’s Report
March 22, 2007

Equipment and Facilities: Our program schedule is now part of our blog. Simply by clicking on the calendar link, it is now possible to see what is scheduled to air on the channel. We will promote this new capability on our bulletin board, with a video promo and press releases.
The server has been in use daily and for the most part is working well, however as we use the server, I am finding minor problems and some features which I believe the server needs to have. I am working with Bob Nichols, the software designer, in making the server more usable. Bob has been great, and I feel like I am getting a server that is custom designed for our use.
A new video, camera, tripod and microphone has been ordered with some of the Maine Community Foundation grant money. I am also developing a plan for courses to be offered to potential community videomakers.
We have been getting nice feedback on the morning camera shot out our office window of the harbor. We may at some point wish to acquire a camera dedicated to this function. Right now we are using the only camera owned by BCTV.
I meet with a representative of the senior employment project on Monday to discuss the suitability of a part-time employee to assist in day-to-day operations and fundraising aspects of the station. If we find a good candidate to take on such responsibilities, I would offer to train and supervise them. Although the position is funded by a state program, we need to find out what our station’s responsibilities will be and make sure we are able to fulfill them.
Programming: Both “Andrews and Andrews at the Auction” and “Gardens of Waldo County” began airing on the channel last week. A new series “Talking Maine with Joe Bruno” will begin airing next week. The program is produced monthly by the Maine Republican party.
Jayne Giles has also contacted us about producing a local political show. This is a positive sign that we are getting more diverse political views represented in our program schedule.
“Sugarhouse Journal” is a monthly program produced in the Skowhegan area that deals with sustainability topics. I learned about it through the Maine community TV web site and contacted the producer about airing it on our system. The show debuts next Monday at 8:30PM.
“What kids are watching” is a show produced by a Rockland area teenager and is a sort of U-tube review program. I am hoping to get a copy to preview shortly. It would be great to have a show that targets our local teen audience.
On Thursday March 29th we will be showing the “Belfast Leadership and Action Summit” live from 6:30-9PM. Diane Mende, Jerry Klaimon and myself are the volunteer production crew.

Respectfully submitted by Ned Lightner

BCTV Program director’s Report
March 8, 2007

Equipment and Facilities: We finally have a working server. A server is basically a means of playing programming off a computer rather than on videotapes and DVDs. The server allows us to assemble several videos in a sequence such as shows, PSA’s, and station ID’s and play them at selected times. One advantage of a server is that we can play much more programming than we can with our 5 DVD players. We used the server last night for the first time “on air” and it worked perfectly.
We are integrating our program schedule into our “Blog” to make it possible for people to know when programming is scheduled to air.
Karen Saum was successful in securing a $1,500 grant from the Maine Community foundation. We will be buying an inexpensive digital video camera for members of the community to use once they have taken a course in video production, which is also to be paid for through the grant. Karen is also looking into the possibility of finding a part time senior citizen employee to assist in the operation of the station. This grant is available to qualified non-profit organizations and wouldbe a great help with the day to day operation of the station.


Programming: We ran a somewhat limited schedule while the program director was on vacation for two weeks in February. Several positive comments about our station were received through our on air solicitation for feedback. March brings a more varied schedule. We are reshowing “Gardens of Waldo County” during March and April. “Andrews and Andrews at the Auction” a monthly one-hour show that replays scenes from an Antique Auction begins airing next week. A video about the 2007 “Toboggan Nationals” held at the Snow Bowl in Camden airs next week. Also showing this month is a series of videos about various Maine communities produced by Accompany. I worked on these videos, several of which have previously aired on “the History Channel” We have also joined Northeast Historic Film in order to have access to their lending library of film about Maine. There are about 100 programs cleared for airing on local cable channels.
We continue to maintain contact with the Camden Rockland Access channel. They are showing several of the shows produced here such as “Vaudeville Revue” and “Gardens of Waldo County”. Soon we expect to air some programs from them. We are also hoping to develop an informal network of community TV stations along the mid-coast. Besides BCTV and Rockland, Lincoln County public access and Boothbay community TV could be part of this “network”. We do not know what might develop from such a network, but there is the possibility of some unique coastal programming being developed.


Respectfully submitted by Ned Lightner