Happy New Year from Davis Media Access

Here at the turn of the year from 2014 to 2015, our board and staff send a heartfelt thanks to our community. Whether you watch, listen participate or just value that fact that non-commercial media is alive and well in Yolo County, we appreciate your support.

This newsletter is very brief, with just a few announcements. I do want to take a moment to thank everyone who attended our annual Holiday Open House Dec. 8. The joint was jumping, and folks seemed to enjoy making video postcards, our volunteer recognition ceremony, and holiday tunes spun by KDRT programmers Rod Moseanko, Sara Eley, and Pieter Pastoor. Thanks to DMA's wonderful staff and board, who helped set up, round up food and beverage, and clean up. Thanks to the decorating team, to Eunah Cho for photography, and Alex Silva-Sadder for running the control room that night. Finally, Andrea Jones and Sudwerk Brewery generously donated our wine & beer for the evening.

We’ll see you in 2015. Stay healthy and safe!

Autumn Labbe-Renault, Executive Director

New Workshops on the Horizon

Davis Media Access is offering four workshops in the New Year.  "Shooting on Location with the Canon XA-25," "Learn to Use Your GoPro!," "Beginner Studio Tech," and "Social Media for Parents." 

Shooting on Location with the Canon XA-25
Davis Media Access will hold the "Shooting on Location with Canon the XA-25" workshop for volunteers looking to learn how to properly use our new Canon XA-25 cameras and to gain permission to check out the cameras for your media productions. This is a low-cost, two-day, hands-on workshop and part of DMA’s  ongoing mission to train the public in local community media. Wednesday Jan. 14, and Thursday Jan. 15, both 6pm-8:30pm. Taught by Jeff Shaw or Alex Silva-Sadder.

General Orientation January 13: Getting Involved, Becoming a User

Curious about KDRT, DCTV or even DJUSD Channel 17, and want to learn how Davis Media Access can help you?

Sign up here to attend this General Orientation!

Any potential volunteers please come to one of these, held monthly.  They last about an hour and include the history of Davis Media Access, a tour of the facilities, and information on how to get involved. 

A note from the director

Jeff Shaw and I recently attended the ribbon cutting and official launch for KUBU-LP, 96.5 FM in Sacramento. A project of Access Sacramento, the community media center serving our neighbors to the east, KUBU will serve its community a mix of alternative voices and interesting music, giving its citizens a chance to highlight what matters most in their community. KUBU is one of a whole new crop of low-power FM radio stations launched from within community media centers nationwide. Davis Media Access (then called Davis Community Television) was the first center in the nation to do so, launching KDRT in 2004.

It was wonderful to listen to everyone’s aspirations for their new community station. I couldn’t help but reflect on KDRT, and how the hopes they were speaking of were the same kind that have been realized here in Davis. We carried our best wishes for their success with low-power radio in Sacramento

Bringing it full circle, today’s KUBU launch reminded me that along with hopes and dreams, it takes an incredible amount of work, heart, volunteerism and cash to keeping independent outlets on the air. To that end, I thank all of you who have supported DMA and its programs and services this year. Because of you, our work is made possible. Please plan to drop by our Holiday Open House Dec. 8 to share a toast to your community media center!

You're invited - Holiday Open House Dec. 8

This annual tradition is a time for us to highlight what we do, thank you for what you do, and share some tasty treats. Please join us anytime between 6-9 p.m. for appetizers and sweets, wine and beer. The event is free and open to the public; please come if you haven’t in a while, or if you’re new to us, or if you’re here weekly! Parking is available along Fifth or L streets but limited at the center itself. Schedule of events as follows;

From the Vault

Special thanks to former DMA intern Nick Lopez, who developed the From the Vault opener and has digitized much of the content we'll be highlighting!

The latest episode of “Davis Media Access: From the Vault” is a real treasure. This 1990 interview features local notables Bob Dunning and Lori Aldrete interviewing the inimitable Bob Hope. The piece was directed by Aaron Vinck, who went on to work in community access television in San Francisco in later years, and was produced by Davis Community Television. 

On Davisville

Host Bill Buchanan catches up with former mayor Joe Krovoza. Listen here.

From the Fifth Street traffic redesign and a plastic bag ban to economic development and the city water supply, the civic side of Davis saw several changes from early 2011 to mid-2014. Joe Krovoza, as mayor during that stretch, had a hand in attaining many of them. On today’s Davisville he sizes up his legacy, offers his take on a few continuing ideas like the railroad relocation proposal downtown ... and talks about what he's been doing since leaving office last June.

KDRT - thank our underwriters!

Please thank these fine local businesses for sponsoring KDRT next time you stop in: