autumn's blog

We are currently down to the final week of our annual fund-raising campaign. We've raised $22,000 and have $3k to go to meet our funding goal. If you haven't yet donated now is the time.  We must raise this money each year to keep our all-volunteer radio station KDRT on the air, and to help support other projects such as training for youth media producers, and additional staff time for local election coverage.

We do big, community-improving work and depend on every dollar you donate.  A well-managed non-profit with many hundreds of active participants and supporters, DMA is responsive to its community, not to corporate profits. And in an age when a mere handful of corporations holds the majority of control over corporate media, carving out space for the people’s airwaves is more important than ever.

I know you appreciate that work, and I'm asking you to step up and make a contribution this week. Donations of any size are helpful, and will be acknowledged for tax purposes, and on our donor list (unless you say otherwise). At this late date, the best way is to donate online at http://davismedia.org/donate. You can also mail a check made out to Davis Media Access, 1623 Fifth Street, Ste A, Davis, CA 95616.

You'll be joining a fabulous list of committed supporters, whom we thank for their generous support.

Thank you so much for helping to continue DMA's important work in the community!

As part of its partnership with the City of Davis and the Davis Joint Unified School District, DMA records the local high school graduations (there are five) each year, and makes available commemorative DVDs

Registration closes soon for DMA's popular summer camps for kids aged 10-13, and there are still a few slots open. In the production camps, participants learn how to produce a program in DMA's television studio, including storyboarding, operating cameras and sound equipment, and media literacy training.  New this summer, campers will be able to take advantage of DMA's brand-new HD Field Cameras. They will also get an introduction to the radio booth at KDRT 95.7 FM, DMA's low-power community radio station.

This episode’s discussion focuses on preparing for the recording studio and features insights and performances by Helen Spangler (Spangler), Chris Hunt (Tha Dirt Feelin), and Joel Daniel (The Hoots). “Artist's Connection” is a monthly television series hosted by journalist and singer-songwriter, Kevin Fagan. The program features topic-driven interviews of artists with questions that go beyond persona and performance, revealing the reasons behind the choices that artists make. "Artist's Connection" is produced by Sam Hawk and Pieter Pastoor at Davis Media Access.  

Davis Media Access (DMA) offers a free orientation to its programs and services each month. This next general orientation will take place Wed., May 27 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the media center, 1623 Fifth Street in Davis. DMA Production Manager Jeff Shaw will teach the orientation. Topics covered will include: 

 an overview of DMA’s services; information about internships, and training and volunteer opportunities available through DMA.

"The Culture Co-op" - Diversity, racial oppression, minority cultures, and equity - could any work touch on more spheres at present? Find out what's happening here in Davis via the work of Sandy Holman and the Culture C.O.-O.P. Joselyn Lua hosts. 

"Sexual Assault Awareness" - Lin Weaver hosts Dawn Yackzan, Executive Director, Sexual Assault Awareness Campaign; Michael Leahy, Education and Publicity, SAAC; and Natalli Melgoza, Emerson Junior High School Peer Helper. 

The latest episode of “Davis Media Access: From the Vault” gives a nod to "May is Bike Month" and features information about bicycling between Davis and Sacramento. The short film was produced by Davis resident Ken Celli and a group of students comprising an Action Research Team at the Education for Sustainable Living Program at UC Davis in 2008.

DMA’s archive of more than 10,000 locally produced videos represents a unique piece of our community history. Recognizing that, and wanting to find an intentional way to continue digitizing these assets, DMA launched “From the Vault" in Oct. 2014 to highlight select programs from this archive.

For their help, support and generosity with KDRT's 10th Birthday Dance Party April 25, we thank the Davis Odd Fellows, and in particular their Music Committee, for making the event possible, working it, and making a generous financial contribution. Special thanks to The Smoke Shovelers, Gravy Nation, Boco do Rio for providing the evening's incredible music, and to the Davis Food Co-op, Dos Coyotes, Berryessa Brewing, Davis Music Festival, Mr. Hat Presents, and Dawn Student for additional support. Extra-special thanks to Gabe Lewin of Clarity Sound, who has been most generous in his support of KDRT events through the years.

For many years, I have lived and breathed my purpose here: what services we offer, how they work to serve the community, and how to tweak and refine them when necessary. It’s been my personal mission to anchor Davis Media Access deeply in this community, providing services that meet a wide variety of needs. With an incredible team comprising board, staff, volunteers, partners, and community supporters, I know we’ve been successful.

Have questions about the upcoming Smarter Balanced testing for students in grades 3 – 8 and 11 or want to learn more about assessment in our schools?

It’s the time — and the season.

Year round, Davis Media Access (DMA) and its projects —DCTV, DJUSD.tv and KDRT 95.7 FM—provide our community with a wealth of local content. It's spring, which means it's time for our annual funding appeal. This is where we ask you to step up and support the work that DMA does.

There are various ways to support the work of community media this spring, and many of them are coming up quickly.

We’re having a huge celebration and dance party on Saturday, April 25, featuring the music of The Smoke Shovelers, Gravy Nation, and Boca do Rio at the Davis Odd Fellows Hall. 

KDRT, “Where the Grass Roots Grow” was launched as a non-commercial community radio station on Sept. 24, 2014 and is enjoying a yearlong celebration of its growth and success over the ensuing decade.

DMA will participate in the Big Day of Giving (BigDOG) on 5/5/15, a regional effort aimed at stimulating charitable giving to our region’s non-profits. By giving a tax-deductible donation of $25 or more online that day, you can help DMA win prizes and incentives.

From 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on 5/5/15, log on to davismedia.org/bigdog, type in Davis Media Access & donate safely. Your BigDOG donation helps support our radio station, KDRT 95.7 FM and its efforts to inspire, enrich, and entertain listeners through an eclectic mix of music, cultural, educational, and public affairs programs and services.

KDRT programmer Rod Moseanko (The Grapevine, The Golden Road) sent the following our way: “According to Grateful Dead history, the first paid gig by the original five members of the band under the name of The Grateful Dead was May 5, 1965 at Magoo’s Pizza Parlor in Menlo Park (we Dead Heads LOVE minutia!).  Verily thus, we are all set to do a special broadcast to commemorate that date and the past 50 years of GD sounds on Friday, May 8, 2015."

Piece of home: When I first moved out here for school, I was feeling very homesick. After I heard your show on the radio, I sat in my car in the middle of a parking lot
and embraced every moment of it. Makes me feel like da ‘aina is not so far
away. Now I listen every Sunday I can.  Mahalo!
 - Dan (writing in about Na Mele O Hawai'i)