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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
January 11, 2007

Equipment and Facilities: We are still troubleshooting some minor problems with our new server, but I am optimistic that we will be able to use it by the end of the month.
We were able to successfully do our first “Live” event coverage on New Years eve.
There were no real technical problems and the signal looked great.
We have had a problem with uneven audio levels creating distortion on the home TV’s.
To solve this problem I have agreed to purchase a used compressor limiter, from Brookside technologies in Prospect. A used compressor limiter is apt to last a long time and since we are buying from Brookside I am dealing with a local vendor that offers tech support.

Programming: As mentioned earlier, Our live 9 1/2 hours of New Years by the Bay coverage was a great success. The staff of NYBB was very helpful and the event was very successful this year. Mary Mortier, the executive director was very grateful for our efforts at encouraging home viewers to come to the event. We have not added any new programs to our lineup, however we continue to receive productions “from away” such as the Documentary America: freedom to Fascism. I recently recorded Karen Saum doing an introduction to her film produced during the early eightees about the working women of Waldo County. It is fascinating to see all the factory jobs from chickens to circuit boards that have all disappeared since the documentary was produced. Karen has offered to volunteer for the station and she has been a successful grant writer, so I believe she will be a great asset to the channel.

Respectfully submitted by Ned Lightner

All new revue this week at BCTV-2
Now also on cable channel 2 in Searsport

A New Vaudeville Revue has taped a bunch of new extra-nutty and fun shows, previewing this Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. on BCTV-2, community cable TV channel 2 in Belfast and Searsport. Special guests include Jennifer Armstrong, storyteller and bagpiper; Shana Bloomstein, dancer; and poet of the month, Jacob Fricke. Regular humorists Peter Conant and Jenny Tibbetts will be on hand as well as Elisabeth Goodridge. This month’s house band includes Willy Kelly, Joe Allard and Jeff Densmore. Ando Anderson will be at the host at the helm. Shows will also replay daily at 9:00 a.m., as well as Tuesday through Thursday at 6 p.m., and Friday and Saturdays at 10:30 p.m. No cable access? No Problem. All shows can be viewed for free at www.newvaudevillerevue.com.

Also this week on BCTV-2 Notes From Upriver features the organization "Growsmart Maine" and airs Monday through Saturday at 9:30 a.m., as well as Monday at 9:00 p.m. and Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.

Don't miss the new edition of Liberty News which features a report on the food we eat. It airs 10:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday as well as Monday at 10 p.m. and Tuesday at 9:30 p.m.

And by public request, the fascinating documentary "America: Freedom to Fascism" will be aired again Monday at 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

We will also be showing highlights from the New Years By the Bay celebration on Wednesday through Saturday from 6:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. You can e-mail us at: belfastcommunitytv@verizon.net or contact Program Director, Ned Lightner, at 338-6140


E-mail us at:
belfastcommunitytv@verizon.net

BCTV Program director’s Report
December 28, 2006

Equipment and Facilities: We have been troubleshooting some minor problems with our new server. It seems to be working now that we discovered that some of the downloaded videos were “corrupt”. It was simple to find those corrupt files and delete them, so now the server seems to be working well. We used the server on Christmas day to play two movies. “Santa Claus conquers the Martians” and a 1934 version of “Scrooge”. They played well. I do find that there are some audio level problems on the channel. I think when we have the money we will need to buy a compressor/limiter. Such a device costs a couple hundred dollars, but as of now is probably our best solution.
I am currently running audio and video lines to the downstairs part of the boathouse, so that we will be able to originate live on New Years Eve.
We have also diverted a ventilation/heat duct to feed our upstairs space. The duct had been venting into the unheated attic space, so we feel we are not affecting the heating bill of the boathouse, while improving the comfort of our own office space.

Programming: We have had a good meeting with the director of “New Years by the Bay” and we have developed a plan to go live while also encouraging home viewers to attend the events. A nice article was published in this week’s Village Soup Citizen promoting our coverage. We have borrowed some equipment from the High School station, and Diane Mende will be using the government access equipment to cover remote events for us to replay. Our plan is to go live from 2-11:30PM on New Years eve. We certainly could use some additional production help but will be able to do it with a limited crew.
We have had some non-local program submissions and so far the channel has been operating relatively smoothly, however I hope we will be able to get more folks to provide us with local programs.

Respectfully submitted by Ned Lightner