autumn's blog

DMA's latest release “From the Vault” provides a poignant memoir of noted veterinarian and animal behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin, who passed away in Sept. 2014.

Long before she developed a professional website highlighting her work, Yin  produced videos through the facilities at Davis Community Television, the original name for DMA. Most of the videos date from the late ‘90s-2000, and occupy the Non-Profit/Activist subsection of DMA’s archives.

“Some of the value of a community archive dwells in its ability to remind us of those who are no longer here,” said Autumn Labbe-Renault, DMA’s executive director. “We share these videos with respect for Dr. Yin’s work and life, and fond memories of her time with us here at the media center.”

Where the Grassroots Grow is not only KDRT’s slogan, but also an apt metaphor for the fertility of the radio medium in Davis. This month KDRT welcomes five new shows into the fold. Ways to listen: tune in locally to 95.7 FM; search kdrt.org by show name or click on Archives to listen to past shows. Click the Schedule link to find show names and times by day or week-at-a-glance.

We air live and archive all the DJUSD Board of Education meetings. You can find this content here

Since I wrote Davis Media Access's (DMA) first Annual Report in 2008, I've struggled with the format. Yes, annual reports are important, as they provide an in-depth look at a non-profit's impact and accountability. But how many people actually read a heavily formatted document?

With the blessing of DMA's board, I took things in a completely different direction this year and am proud to present "DMA's Year-End Report - A Look Back at 2014." It's a short video that highlights DMA's projects, people and impact. It's rich with the voices of community members, and visually presents what a dynamic organization DMA has become over the past 25 years. I hope you will take a few minutes to check it out. 

General Orientation February 18th at 6:30pm 

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

Soroptimist International of Davis presents its annual Texas’ Hold ‘Em Night, to benefit programs for local emancipated foster youth. This event is SI Davis' biggest fundraiser of the year and western wear is encouraged.  Saturday, March 14. 

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