There is no doubt community media volunteers want to fine-tune their skills but we should all be aware there are dangers in trying to imitate professionals.

First, community television and radio are local alternatives to what the networks choose to transmit into our homes. Arguably, our television should reflect our own culture and our own lifestyles -the way we are and not what Toronto or Detroit tells us we should be.

People around the world are concerned about how video and satellite television are replacing local cultures and traditions with new values based in American advertising. This one-way vertical communication isolates individuals and creates unrealistic expectations.

One could argue that the negative aspects of media-from-outside can be challenged positively by local media designed as two-way community communication.

In 1987 the Federal Task Force on Broadcasting, speaking about community radio, advised - "The CRTC [Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission] recognized that production standards should not be set at levels that only professionals and the more skilled helpers could attain, intimidating the volunteers on whom community radio must rely for much of production".

Surely this should be our bottom line. After all, do we want to apply formal rules of debate when we're talking over the backyard fence?

Community media gives us all a chance to enhance communication within our communities and enjoy ourselves at the same time.

Each community will develop its own style of community media. As long as our neighbours can see and hear our programs - and get a chance to participate - who's to say there's a right and wrong way of doing it?

COMMUNITY NEWS

News is what people are talking about each morning at the store; gas pumps; beauty parlour; barber shop and coffee break.

News is ...

1. Important ...

2. Interesting ...

3. Controversial ...

4. Unusual ...

5. Timely ... happening right now.

6. Close by ...
... for members of the community.

COVERING MEETINGS TO GET INFORMATION

These tips are for a newspaper reporter; even when using a video camera it's helpful to bring a steno pad.

If you are going to cover a meeting, try treating the event as would a professional reporter.

1. Bring steno pad and a few pens.

2. Arrive early.

a. you may pick up news tips talking to participants.
b. you need time to make a sketch of table and write in names and titles of participants.

3. Date meeting; when it starts, write the name of each speaker. If person speaks from the floor, make sure you find out name and title.

4. You're after all the quotes and expressions of opinion you can get. Try to write bits of conversation rather than use your own words.

5. Use abbreviations as much as possible, eg. NF, C'brook, St. J's, prov, gov, pres. Make up your own abbreviations.

6. Get your facts right before you leave the meeting. Double check dollar figures and passed motions.

7. Use your different color pen to circle or underline quotes that seem to be important during the meeting. Put big question marks beside items ;you want to ask questions about.

8. Meetings are often places you can pick up information to develop as stories later on. Keep your ears open.

9. Keep your old steno pads.

MIXED MEDIA

The buzz in community media in the 21st century is mixed media - combining traditional media with the internet.

Burnt Islands Sharing Our Future (SOF) Youth Community Media is mixed media.

It began six years ago with a project to initiate local content in community television. This project is still a model because, as well as displaying local information and photos, it also makes money.

Community media must have the goal of financially sustaining itself within the community.

Burnt Islands SOF also makes money by producing and selling videotapes.

The new community radio station will have to sustain itself by the sale of advertising.

MIXED MEDIA IN BURNT ISLANDS

1. Desktop publishing - newsletter, posters, brochures.

2. Community radio.

3. Community theatre.

3. Community television (including announcements and photos).

4. Video/DVD production.

5. Website.