Low-power, High-Energy Radio – Updates From KDRT

We’re loving how new DJ Frank Fox (The Wild Fox Party, live Tuesdays 10-11 a.m.), describes KDRT as “low-power, high-energy radio.” So true!

  • This month, KDRT welcomes “Indivisible Yolo” to the airwaves Tuesdays at 5 p.m. Indivisible Yolo is a collective of concerned citizens of Yolo County who care about national issues. Two members of that collective, Isabel Warner and Andrew Clausen, are producing this new radio show.  
  • We also welcome DJ Dirk who produces " Twang Thang" on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. A Twang Thang features the "folks who sowed the harder-edged musical seeds for what we today call 'Americana,' and the newer artists who continue the tunes and Outlaw Ethos forward."
  • Be sure to check out Bill Buchanan's exit interview with Debbie Davis and Bruce Gallaudet, and his introduction interview with new Davis Enterprise editor Sebastian Oñate, all on the latest Davisville.
  • Also check out Pieter Pastoor's interview with Wyatt Williams, talking about the newest live music venue in Davis, the "Melon Ball".
  • Lastly, drop by Second Fridays at the Downtown Davis ArtAbout to hear KDRT broadcasting live from Armadillo Music., where we feature a different musician or band each month. Tune in if you can’t make it. 6:30-8 p.m.

Summer Workshops for Kids & Teens

Building community through media is what we do at Davis Media Access (DMA), and we make sure that starts with some of the younger members of our community. This summer’s offerings include:

DMA has decades of experience teaching youth the basics of media production. These exciting classes teach production skills in areas such as camera and lighting, storyboarding and script development, sound, and stop-motion animation. DMA builds into all its curriculum critically needed media literacy training, and our workshops take place in the only HD studio in town. Participants get hands-on experience with quality equipment, work collaboratively, and share their work at the completion of the camp. Classes are taught by DMA staff and frequently assisted by students from past workshops. 

Digital Storytelling Workshop Connects Community

The power of personal storytelling can shift perspectives and change individual trajectories. But what role can it play in larger settings – academia, non-profit organizations, and neighborhood projects?

That’s the topic of “Storytelling: Discovering Self, Connecting Community,” a free event scheduled for Wednesday, April 25 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Blanchard Room in the Mary L. Stephens Library in Davis. Non-profit community media & technology center Davis Media Access (DMA) has partnered with the Library to present the event, which is supported by a 2018 City of Davis Arts Grant.

The evening features the following presenters:

·      Milmon F. Harrison, Professor of African American & African Studies at UC Davis. Professor Harrison’s areas of expertise include ethnicity in the U.S.; the Black Christian church; black social and political thought, and Black popular culture. Trained as a Storytelling Facilitator at the StoryCenter in Berkeley, Harrison uses digital storytelling as a tool with his students, and also in his academic and personal research. He will share several digital stories, in addition to talking about his work. https://aas.ucdavis.edu/people/faculty/milmon-f-harrison

·      Danielle Fodor is an artist, teacher, and community organizer living in Davis, CA. She creates artwork that transforms people, places, and communities by working in a variety of mediums, including zines, performance, murals, audio, and posters. Fodor has an extensive resumé of media and arts projects, spanning organizations from KDRT 95.7 FM to the Experimental College and the Arboretum at UC Davis; Grant High School in Sacramento; community build street murals in East Davis; the Davis Feminist Film Festival; and Imagining America. Fodor will speak about recent story share projects at The Cannery in Davis, and Imagining America at UC Davis. You can see some of her art here: http://daniellefodor.com

Video Quilt Will Celebrate 30 Years

We love our volunteers and supporters. We love that so many of you have taken what you have learned here and gone on to do great things. And…we have a simple request of you (whether you’ve moved on or are still active).

Please help us put together a “Video Quilt” by doing the following:

  • Record (or have someone record for you) a simple video on your phone
  • Tell us 1). Your name 2). How DMA has changed or impacted your life and 3). Wish Davis Media Access a Happy 30th Birthday
  • Please speak clearly, make sure you’re not squinting into the sun, and make sure we can hear you.
  • Upload your video to davismedia.org/quilt, no later than April 6, 2018
  • If you can’t manage this yourself, we’ll do it for you. Make an appointment by emailing Jeff or Autumn.
  • By submitting, you give DMA permission to use your video for promotional purposes, including fund raising, Big Day of Giving testimonials, and a new ‘About DMA” video quilt

Stories and personal testimonials have such power, and there are many to be told after 30 years! What you do reflects the best of DMA, and we are eager to share. Thank you, in advance!

A Note From the Director

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We’re celebrating 30 years!

It’s a Tuesday as I write. Studio Manager Diane Dedoshka and I are finalizing a schedule for a record number of “Meet the Candidates” productions. DCTV intern Daisy Lee has a crowd in here tonight for her game show pilot, and Production Manager Jeff Shaw is meeting with KDRT’s public affairs programmers. This is the day-to-day reality of life in a community media & technology center: busy, full, vibrant, and innovative.

In 1988, a group of forward-thinking people in this city decided to form an organization that would provide multiple layers of community benefit—a non-profit that helps other non-profits, schools, local government, and ordinary citizens share information, build skills, and foster transparency. In 2018, that non-profit is known as Davis Media Access (DMA), and we’re excited to be celebrating 30 years of service to our community.

I believe we’ve lived that original mission, and built upon it considerably over time. I still get excited about the work we do! A couple of things are really juicing me right now, and I hope you’ll take a moment to learn more about our 30-year Video Quilt, summer youth workshops, and digital storytelling.

DMA Board Comings & Goings

We bid longtime board member Henry House a fond farewell this month, and thank him for his service. Henry bought a new home near Grass Valley and is in Davis less frequently these days.



We also welcome Bill Wagman to a two-year term on the board. Bill says, "I have been involved in radio production for many years. I have hosted programs on KDVS since 1991 including 'The Saturday Morning Folk Show' for the last 17 years, and have been a co-host of the 'Folk Brothers' on KDRT for the last 2 1/2 years. I've long had an interest in community media as it extends to community radio. It is so much more important and relative than commercial, mainstream media, which seems to be more interested in reaching the largest, most lucrative market possible.

In Remembrance

Community media centers by definition involve many members of the community, and DMA is a place where friendships are forged. We've lost a few good folks these past couple of months, and would like to remember them as follows:

  • Longtime community TV volunteer David Pierce, who passed away in January. David was a fixture around here in the late 90s and early aughts. We remember David for his innate curiosity and his love of dramatic contrast, and his willingness to volunteer.  A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 24 at the Shaded Arbor Picnic Area in Davis Community Park.
  • We also remember Marcella Lorfing, wife of OLLI producer Bill Lorfing, and a longtime supporter of DMA. Marcella passed in December.
  • Finally, we remember with fondness Corinne Cooke, a longtime supporter of DMA, who once told me that librarians and community media had much in common, and it's a message I integrated deeply. I will miss my spirited discussions with her.

--Autumn Labbé-Renault

Two Departures, a Sabbatical, and a Wild Fox

One of our longest weekly KDRT Programmers is taking a four-month sabbatical. Live Tracks' Jim Buchanan will still assist with station operations and record live music around town, but will take a well-deserved break from his two-hour weekly show. Listeners are invited to tune in Thursdays at 7 p.m. to hear Sara TAPS broadcast The Awesome Patrol Show in his place. Sara is herself a longtime volunteer and programmer. We hope to see "Live Tracks" back in business by the summer.

Core Competencies Workshops

DMA offers the following workshops in our Core Competencies series this month & next. These workshops are free to community members who have attended DMA’s General Orientation.

Final Cut Pro X: Titles, Credits & Motion Graphics – Wed., Feb. 7 2018, 7-8:30 p.m.

Covers the basics of putting titles and credits on your production. Topics include titles and motion graphics, typography, color, and lower-thirds. Lecture w/ overheads and Q&A.

DCTV Website: Reservations & Resources Training – Tuesday, Feb. 20 2018, 6:45 - 8:00 p.m.


Required to participate as a volunteer producer at DMA. Training for how to use DCTV's website to make reservations, create show records, add episodes, and otherwise manage your production(s) at Davis Media Access. A review of available equipment and the requirements for checkout or use will also be included. Moving forward, this workshop and the skills learned in it will be required to make use of DCTV's facilities. Bringing your own laptop to follow along is suggested, but not required. Class can accommodate 20 people Lecture w/ hands-on and Q.& A

DCTV Television Studio Workshop – Wednesday, Feb. 21, 3:30 - 5 p.m
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Required to crew for studio productions. Training for how to crew a DCTV television production. You’ll learn how to run a studio camera, be a floor manager, and run the studio audio board in the control room. You’ll also learn how to set up and tear down the studio for a production, including the proper stowing of cables, configuring lighting, setting up microphones, and flipping the On-Air switch! Class can accommodate 8 people.
 Wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothing. Hands-on demonstration w/ Q.& A.

Canon XZ-25 Orientation & Camera Basics: Lighting (Double Workshop) -Wed., Feb. 21, 2017 - 6:45 - 7:45 pm & 8 - 9 p.m.

Register for either one or both hours. Learn the basics of operating and configuring the Canon XA-25, DMA’s workhorse HD camera. We’ll cover the automatic and basic manual configuration, as well as various audio options. Hands-on demonstration with Q & A.

The second workshop covers lighting for your video projects. Learn the basics of proper exposure for a well-lit iage and how you can adjust the exposure for various effects. This workshop will help the filmmaker, documentarian, and photographer understand the ways in which lighting can help communicate with the viewer. Lecture w/ hands-on and Q.& A.