Starting in 2010 all Denver Open Media memberships will be 100% tax-deductible.  When you purchase your membership through the DOM website you will automatically be issued a receipt for your records.  Memberships valued at $250 and above will also be sent an acknowledgment letter per IRS regulations.  Please note: Classes are not tax-deductible.  Please address any questions or concerns to Maria Lewis. 

Studio B Makeover
This week we are installing three brand-new BRC-Z700 3CMOS Sony Robotic Cameras in Studio B along with a new independent controller. You should see a huge improvement in your picture quality and will no longer have to fight with the mouse to set up your shot! While these cameras are capable of HD, we will only be using them in SD until we can broadcast in HD sometime down the road.


Professional HDV Field Cameras
We now have four Sony Z1Us available for free to members as explained in our membership guidelines. This also means that all but one of the Canon XL1s will be retired as they have been having an increasing number recording issues.

New Rental Rate Structure
In order to streamline our fees and reflect member benefit, the "expanded member rates" (for members needing equipment access outside of the "free use" membership guidelines) will now be exactly 50% of our Commercial Rental rates.  Please contact Ann Theis with any questions.

New Theme Blocks
After three years of using our initially-conceived theme blocks, we compiled the results of how members have been categorizing their shows. And after much deliberation we have decided to make a few changes. We reduced the number of theme blocks from 12 down to 10, which will allow for a more even distribution of time slots over the course of the week. In order to do this we had to combine some of the old blocks into new ones. We created the new block, Cultural Perspectives to be a more inclusive block, replacing the former Latino and African-American blocks. We also created the Community Issues and Advocacy block for the large amount of content we receive from non-profits, activists and community groups in and around Denver. Additionally with this new 10 block schedule, we are able to create some additional custom blocks that can be changed periodically based on a number of different new scheduling search tools, such as long format, Spanish language, and locally produced.

Revised Theme Blocks:
Academic/Informational, Art/Film, Community Issues and Advocacy, Cultural Perspectives, Faith-Based, GLBTQ, Music and Entertainment, New, Business and Government, Well-Being and Lifestyle, and Youth

If you have any concerns about how your show may be affected by these new theme blocks, or for any suggestions regarding additional custom theme blocks, please contact Ann Theis.

Self-Scheduling for Series Projects
We are proud to announce the latest addition to the continually improving Open Media toolset, Self-Scheduling for Series Projects. Now, members with a regular project timeslot will be able to select their next available airtime as soon as their video makes it through the ingest and upload process. No longer will you have to send an email or leave a note on the Station Director's desk. The power to schedule your show will truly be in your hands.  For more information on how to add this feature to your series please contact Ann Theis or John Montgomery.

I was in California and met two guys, one had a visual impairment and the other one was in a wheelchair, and they ran a cable station.  The visually impaired guy did the interviews and ran the radio station and the guy in the wheelchair ran the camera. I told myself, when I get back to Denver I am going to produce a show of my own. I found this access TV station called Mile High Cable, took the classes, thought up the name Innervision, had a friend write the theme song and in December of 1989 I did my first show interviewing single blind people on dating. 

What is the message of your show?  The message is showing able-bodied people that disabled people have worth in their community, and that we have the same dreams as they do: to feed our family, support ourselves, and to earn respect.

What do you do outside of producing videos? 
I work out at the Auraria campus gym, dance and go out to hear live music.  I also go to two churches, date, talk on the phone to friends about life, take long walks and hang out with my daughters and two grand babies.

Why is your voice important?  
Because as far as I know, I am the longest running blind TV show host/producer and want to encourage other disabled people to produce their TV shows without fear.

Do it and don't be afraid.

Why is public access television important? Why do you enjoy producing public access content?
Access TV is important.  No network or local TV station in 1989 would hire a blind guy to produce/host any of their commercial shows in a big market like Denver but through access TV I got a chance. I proved that it could be done. I enjoy producing public access content because I can create whatever I can think of, whatever is not being said on network TV, or I can even recreate similar network shows and host them the way I want.  Anything is possible with public access TV!