autumn's blog

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

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.

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!

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;

Getting involved in your community media center is extremely satisfying. Learning new skills and sharpening old ones, all while improving our shared civic life, are just a few of the benefits. The first step is to attend a General Orientation scheduled for Wed. Dec. 3. Register here.

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. 

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.

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

• Brian Pakpour Family Law
• Casa Verde Designs
• Cloverleaf Farm
• The Davis Dirt
• Davis Food Co-op
• Davis Live Music Collective
• Davis Music Festival
• John Lescroart
• Om Networks
• The Pepper Peddler
• Redwood Barn Nursery
• Sutter Center for Integrative Health
• Varsity Theater
• The Wardrobe
• Woodstock's Pizza
• Yolo Federal Credit Union

In The Studio profiles various non-profits, individuals, and events from the Davis Community. Shows are produced by volunteers under the supervision of Davis Media Access staff. See recent episodes.

As part of DMA’s partnership with the Davis Joint Unified School District to manage educational access television services, we provide a production internship for high-school students. Students learn a variety of technical skills, both on location and in the field, get to list productions on their resume, and gain academic credit in the process. Interns help DMA produce more than 60 school-related productions each year.

Davis Feminist Film Festival: The UC Davis Women's Resources and Research Center is now accepting submissions for the 2015 Davis Feminist Film Festiva, l until December 31, 2014. The Davis Feminist Film Festival welcomes short-form films from professionals, students, and community members locally, nationally, and internationally. People underrepresented in the media field are especially encouraged to submit a film for consideration.

Davis Media Access (DMA) is a community media center that has served Davis and environs for more than 25 years, amassing an archive of more than 10,000 locally produced videos. These programs tell the story of our area: our struggles, triumphs, concerns, and motivations. Most were either produced by, or feature, community members. In an era where broadcast outlets became fewer and increasingly homogenized, these programs helped tell the story of our community in a very real, and meaningful way, often covering what the Sacramento media market would not.

Though fall’s cooler temps have yet to manifest, the busyness that characterizes the season is in full force. Here at DMA, we mark the start of KDRT’s 10th anniversary year, which officially began on Sept. 24. It was on that date in 2004 that then-Davis Mayor Ruth Asmundson “flipped the switch” and KDRT was off and running. This small station has manifested tremendous amounts of community involvement and goodwill over the years.  Still run primarily by volunteers and on a shoestring budget, this grassroots station has nonetheless made a large impact, both locally and on the national low-power FM scene.

My hat is off to KDRT’s Steering Committee, its programmers, the DMA board, DMA”s staff, for whom KDRT is largely an after-hours labor of love, and the community—musicians, guests, listeners and supporters—for having grown a truly remarkable resource.  Here’s to many more, and please read on in the newsletter for some exciting KDRT updates. We look forward to celebrating Year 10 all year long!

Camera Workshop: A second workshop for our new field cameras is scheduled for Thursday Oct. 16 from 6:30-8:30pm.  This workshop is only offered to volunteers currently in good standing and who have DCTV Field Camera certification. We will soon offer a workshop for new volunteers.  No RSVP needed- just show up at the station!

General Orientation: Getting involved in your community media center is extremely satisfying. Learning new skills and sharpening old ones, all while improving our shared civic life, are just a few of the benefits. The first step is to attend a General Orientation scheduled Wednesday October 22 at 6:30pm.

Under the Covers: A fun evening of music to help us kick off Year 10 for KDRT! A night of cover bands and fall frolics supporting KDRT. Oct. 23, Sudwerk Dock Store, 5:30-9:30 pm., $5.

PSA Day: Save the Date, Feb. 11 & 12, 2015. Service for non-profits to make a one-minute public service announcement. Invitations go out in January. Want to be included? Email info@davismedia.org, Attn: PSA Day.

We’re happy to announce that Eunah Cho, who joined our staff a few months back as an on-call production specialist, now has regular office hours on Tuesdays and Fridays from 1-6pm. Eunah will be here to help provide production assistance for video producers, and you may see her at the front desk during those hours as well. We are thrilled to be able to offer some additional assistance!