House Telecom Regulation/Infrastructure Committee Meeting

The MN House Telecom Regulation/ Infrastructure committee is headed by St. Paul Rep. Sheldon Johnson. The committee will be meeting FRIDAY, February 2, 2007 at 8:00 AM in Room: 200 State Office Building. The Agenda will include Presentations by Office of Enterprise Technology and St Paul Neighborhood Network. HF116 (Atkins) Customer sales and service call center requirements imposed. The committee meeting is open to anyone who would like to attend. The cable companies and phone companies have been talking with committee members about changing the rules governing how franchise agreements are reached. This could impact Access Centers. Mike Wassenaar, Executive Director of SPNN will be testifying at the committee on Friday.

Action Alert

Go to Save Access to take action. There is a link of to the side.

The new Senate Commerce Committee meets on Thursday this week in a Hearing entitled: "Assessing the Communications Marketplace: A View from the FCC".

This annual Q/A of the FCC by the Senate Committee is an important moment for us to respond to the December 20th FCC Ruling on Video Franchising. That FCC ruling went far deeper than the failed Congressional legislation of last year in attacking Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) Access channels and facilities. It also threatens local municipalities ability to exercise control over their 'rights of way" and provides little protection against the red-lining of entire communities. Worse of all, the FCC hearing on the matter was rife with inaccuracies and half-truths that even the phone companies backed away from. Such behavior by a Federal agency is reprehensible and we demand full accountability now!

The organizations representing cities, along with the Alliance for Community Media, have promised a lawsuit - but we need for the Senate to hear from the people and respond accordingly. Congressional intervention can stop this mess now!

Please take a moment today to send our letter to the Senate committee! We have to ensure that 'local video franchising' is on the Senate's list of problematic issues with the FCC (because it's a long list!). And though we are seriously miffed about this mess, we have a proper and polite letter you can send to all the members of the Senate Commerce Committee right here.

Multi Camera Shoot

One way to step up your game without wasting tons of time editing is to do a mulit-camera shoot. We have a switcher with a digital deck, two cameras and audio mixer that can be checked out. You can utilize this piece of equipment to for bands, interviews, or whatever strikes your fancy. The class is January 30th at 6:30. Cost is $20. You will learn the switcher, the headsets, and cameras in a way to have a successful multi camera shoot.

You Tube

Get yourself on one of the hottest video websites. You Tube can host video up to 100 mg and ten minutes in length. In this workshop you will learn how to compress your video using iMovie or FCE and then upload that video to You Tube. The workshop is Tuesday, January 23 at 6:30pm. The cost is right, FREE! Come check it out.

Also don't forget the studio lighting workshop is also that night at 6:30pm.

Lighting Workshop

Lighting can set the mood, or no mood at all if it is used inappropriately. Lighting can be subtle or dramatic and it is so much more than just flooding the set with light. Learn when to use gels, how to set the tone, and how to create the mood from our professional production staff. Now good lighting takes years of practice and lots of trial and error. This workshop is not intended to be the “be all end all “of what you need to know, but instead to give you some frames of reference of what lighting can do, techniques to accomplish your goal and a place to start playing with lighting. The workshop will be held on January 23rd starting at 6:30. Cost for the workshop is $10.

New Set Pieces have arrived!

SPNN contracted with Troy Schaefer to build some new set pieces for us. The two proto types have arrived. They are metal frames with pexiglass inserts they also have a spandex sock that can fit over the frame. Both can be used as is or lit with different gels to give them color. Next time you are in the studio check them out. Right now we have two. We will be ordering four more to complete the set to make sure we have enough to satisfy members needs. We also plan to order more inserts so that the look can change with each show. The idea is to make sure there are options for members to utilize to make their show unique. We'd like to have a set design workshop in the Spring to help members utilize the pieces.

iDVD Workshop

Don't forget the iDVD workshop this Saturday at 11am. Learn how to make profesional looking DVD's to hand out to friends, clients, and guests. Cost is only $20.

Also we are closed on Monday, January 15th for Martine Luther King Day. Please plan accordingly. This will mean if you check out gear on Friday you will have an extra day since you won't be able to return it until Tuesday.

Interview with Rep. Sheldon Johnson

Last week I interviewed Rep. Sheldon Johnson for the January edition of All Things Access. We spoke about what he sees as important legislative issues this session as well as what he sees impacting St. Paul residents. Listen below.

A Film Challenge

I just got this Film Challenge via an email. I am posting it so people find out about it, but I don't any more information than what's contained below. Please contact those in charge of the challenge for more information.

SIGN UP NOW FOR THE SCREENLABS CHALLENGE
>
> THE THEME: "A Simple Twist of Fate"
>
> Historic, metaphoric, anamorphic, allegoric... the
> choices are all yours!
>
> THE LOCATION: Stone Arch Bridge (downtown
> Minneapolis)
>
> Tell a story, make a moving 12 minute short
> picture, and take the ScreenLabs Challenge.
>
> For more information we invite you to visit the
> ScreenLabs Challenge web site, read the rules and
> sign up for the Challenge.
>
> We want to keep the application process for
> ScreenLabs Challenge simple and direct. It costs
> nothing to register, you will not be
> under any obligation to finish a film by
> registering, and there is a online form to use so
> you'll even save your money on postage.
>
> http://www.screen-labs.com/drupal/
>
> Our purpose with online registration is to
> determine the level of community interest how we can
> best assist you will completing the ScreenLabs
> Challenge.
>
> Please sign up before JANUARY 15TH, 2007
>
> You can start writing anytime! Fortunately, you
> will have much more than 48 hours to write your
> script but don't use that as an
> excuse to procrastinate, stare at the white page,
> and delay. Start NOW! Win Prizes!
>
> Completed short films will be submitted on DVD by
> June 15th, 2007
>
> Thanks, good writing and good luck!
>
> -- The ScreenLabs Team!
>
> screenlabschallenge@mac.com

iDVD Workshop

An iDVD workshop will be held on January 13th at 11am. This class will allow you to utilize the iDVD software to make professional looking DVD’s with menus, chapters, and animation. You can than hand the DVD’s out to your friends, family, potential clients and funding sources. Cost of the workshop is $10.

January Member of the Month

We just wrapped up taping our January episode of All Things Access. We are highlighting Helen Broderick for this month's member. Helen works on the Active Generation and City Passport shows. She has been a member for over a year. She has taken the camera, editing and studio classes. Broderick is responsible for helping to set up the studio, some directing and audio work for studio shoots. The shows focus on information for Seniors. She works with Mike Rossberg to make this show happen. Helen has also worked on many other productions as well. Watch this month's All Things Access to find out more about Helen. ATA airs on channel 15 Wednesdays at 7pm.

FCC Rules in favor of Phone Companies

Last week the FCC offered a ruling that changes the way cable franchises are offered to new entrants and throws the ball into the court of the States.

Currently if a cable company desires to offer services in a particular city, said cable company has to agree to serve the entire city. Phone companies have said that this rule limits the ability for competition to come in to a city. The FCC apparently narrowly agrees with phone companies. The new ruling would allow new entrants to service certain areas within a city, without servicing the entire city. This could lead to disparity of resources within a city.

Previously cities also regularly were able to negotiate for public access channels (like SPNN) and services for schools. Under the new ruling cities would be limited to the 5% franchise fee from new entrants into the cable TV market. Currently cities can use the 5% franchise fee to offset the general budget or put it directly into access centers. Some cities not only receive the 5% franchise fee, but also an additional PEG fee that goes directly to support public, education, and government access centers. Withholding this funding would be a determinant to access centers.

The ball moves to the state’s court. The FCC has stated that states creating their own cable TV franchising agencies to take over the work from cities or counties will be exempt from the rule changes.

I talked with State Rep. Sheldon Johnson (St. Paul) for January’s All Things Access episode about the upcoming legislative session. Rep. Johnson is the chair of the House Telecom Regulation/Infrastructure Division committee. Johnson has already been approached both by telecom companies and cable companies to discuss the impacts of a state bill on telecom and franchising. It appears that this year the fight will not only be in congress, but at the state level as well.

It appears the FCC rulings may be challenged in court and it appears Congress my also revive legislation stalled this past year. Between court challenges, Congress, and the state legislature it seems we will have a busy year.

To read the entire article from the Star and Tribune go to http://www.startribune.com/535/story/889084.html

To read the article from the New York Times go to http://www.nytimes.com/cnet/CNET_2100-1036_3-6145184.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Final Cut Express Workshop

Have you out grown iMovie? Would you like to have more control over the audio and graphics? Final Cut Express is your answer. Sherine Crooms will be teaching the class on January 10 and 11. This is a two day workshop that meets 6:30-8:30 both nights. You must have experience with iMovie or another non linear edit system before taking the class. The class size is limited so be sure to pre-register. Cost for the class is $40. Call the access desk at 651-298-8908 for more information or to register or email schumacher@spnn.org.

All Things Access

Watch for our next All Things Access show. We will be talking with Representative Sheldon Johnson. The legislature will be starting back up in January and the balance of power has shifted slightly. We will explore what a DFL held house and senate in the MN legislature means to St. Paul. We will also visit with Representative Johnson to see what his priorities are for this session. The program will air through the month of January on Wednesday nights at 7pm on Channel 15. The tech tip will be on utilizing the internet to gain a wider audience for your show by putting your program on You Tube. We will also have our member of the month and an update from the Youth Department. Tune in to see it who we will profile this month!

member of the month October.

Each month on our All Things Access show we try to highlight a member. This gives insight as to why people work on productins, their passions and what there next projects are. In October we highlighted Bettie Foster-Crowe, Find out what makes her tick.

December Member of the Month

Great things can happen when people work together. This is the story of three Hmong members who work together to tape the multi day Hmong New Year event. Hear their story.

Public Action Needed

PUBLIC ACTION NEEDED!


EMAIL/CALL CONGRESS TO STOP FCC!

(FCC DN MB 05-311)
The Alliance for Community Media has set up a site to make it easy for you, your friends, relatives and supporters to write your Congressional delegation. Congress needs to know that the FCC is on the verge of taking Congressional power as they rewrite cable law. It is important for Congress to know that their constituents are active in community media and that you are ready to fight.

The rules of this process are written against your interests. You are not allowed to call or write the FCC right now, but your Congress-members can.

Being written out of the law by the FCC:


* Support for Public, Education and Government Access Channels: GONE!
* Channel capacity for Public, Education and Government Access Channels from new providers. GONE!
* Your city's right to reasonable payment by the telephone and cable companies who make billions of dollars using public land. GONE!
* Your city's public safety and educational communication systems. GONE!

The rules will be rewritten Wednesday. Only your Congress-members can stop the FCC now. Tell them to support your community. Tell them to forward your concerns to the FCC NOW!

For easy email message, paste into your browser:
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/ACM/campaign/?campaign_KEY=6326&t

-or-

Link from www.alliancecm.org

Please circulate this call to action far and wide.




Anthony T. Riddle
Alliance for Community Media
666 11th Street NW, Suite 740
Washington, DC 20001
202.393.2650 p, 202.393.2653 f

All Things Access

For our January episode we will be talking with one of St. Paul's State Representatives. Rep Sheldon Johnson will be joining us in studio to talk about the upcoming MN legislative session. The balance of power has shifted from a Republican controlled House to Democrats. This shift in power has led to Rep Johnson being placed as chair of the telecom reform committee. We will talk with Representative Johnson about what he views the important issues are this session as well as the priorities of the DFL. Watch the month of January Wednesdays at 7p.m.

SPNN will be closed the following dates:

We will be closed on December 24 and 25th for the Christmas Holiday and December 31st and January 1st for the New Year’s Holiday. Please plan accordingly.

How to get better looking video

Sherine Crooms, SPNN Access Assistant, walks us through a couple of steps that can turn your ordianry looking video into something that has dimension and catches the eye. The following tech tip is from our December show. It is currently airing on Channel 15 at 7pm.

Take a peak, at the light side.