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