Salem Oregon Community Television – Your Voice, Your Views

Edward R. Murrow said it best, “This instrument (television) can teach, it can illuminate, yes, and even it can inspire; but, it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise, it’s nothing but wires and lights in a box.”

All photos by: Lela Taylor

(SALEM) - From Mr. Murrow’s time, the “wires” have become computer boards, high tech digital media, and high definition video - a far cry from the times of the glass tubes of old, but the meaning of what Murrow conveyed still applies.

Salem’s non-profit Capital Community Television (CCTV) exemplifies Mr. Murrow’s creed of teaching, illuminating and inspiring. Since 1989, CCTV has been an active force in presenting creative media by volunteer producers ranging in age from 8 to 80 using their voices and visions to inspire and educate.

CCTV channels are provided to Salem viewers via Comcast Cable television on channels 21, 22, and 23. As a non-profit organization, CCTV is a commercial free entity providing training to volunteers interested in obtaining knowledge in television production. Volunteers are trained for a minimal fee to become producers, editors, directors, or learn more about lighting, audio, and remote and studio productions. Most volunteers gain experience by helping on CCTV productions and as crew members for other producers. This training has helped direct many career choices in further media work and in the field of education.

Alan Bushong of Salem, Oregon's CCTV

In 1989, Alan Bushong, coming from an Austin, Texas, public access station, was hired as the first executive director. His energy and commitment to this field has brought Salem’s media vision to its current status. Bushong’s career choice of community access TV was made because of his desire to work in the field of commercial free television. He liked the idea of starting a public access station where there was very little local television. The challenge of educating the public about the voice that they could have through television and their ability to promote events on local government and school activities, has kept him in the Salem area. After 17 years, Alan Bushong is still the driving force behind the success of CCTV.

In the beginning as well as today, CCTV shares space with the Salem Public Library. In the early years CCTV was in a temporary facility shared with the library on Fairgrounds Road. Today CCTV’s studios are adjacent to the current library site at 585 Liberty Street SE in the lower level of the library.

Community Coordinator Rosa Leonardi

At this new location, Bushong and a staff of two, equipment coordinator Ray Larson, and producer Liz Schillinger continued the vision of CCTV. In 1991, Rosa Leonardi was hired as the community coordinator and after 15 years is still helping to empower people to communicate and provide community information through television.

CCTV Producer Soha Badiei

As with everything else, time brings challenges. Both Larson and Schillinger left to further their careers. Now, a staff made of up of the “old” and the “new” has brought rejuvenating energy to CCTV. Rosa and Alan being the “old timers”. The “newbies” are Ken Hooks, who was a volunteer at CCTV’s very beginning, was hired as a producer in 1999 . Another long time staff member at CCTV, John Strauch, left recently to pursue other media ventures.

Another producer, Soha Badiei was hired in 2003. Greg Hiltz, who started as a volunteer at the age of 14, has been the training coordinator since 2002. His development of an on-line training guide Tron Guide has brought great reviews from other access stations around the nation. Arlan Robinson, program coordinator; Mike Wilhelm, IT specialist; Charles Lewis, facilities coordinator, all began their affiliation with CCTV as volunteers and are now staff. The latest addition is Heidi Ramos, hired in 2005 as the full time office coordinator.

Training Coordinator Greg Hiltz

The increase in volunteers, in productions, and in staff, along with addition of newer up-to-date equipment is still taking place in the same 2,500 square feet it started with. It has become a logistical nightmare trying to juggle space for training, orientation classes, studio productions, editing and the staff to perform their daily duties of maintaining continuity for the station. The competition for space can sometimes become comical as producers returning equipment try to tip-toe around a class in progress, and the phone rings for new reservations at the same time producers are coming through for production time, all happening through and in the same lobby space. The future is looking brighter, though, as the promise of a new site for CCTV, which would triple their space, is in the works. Everyone is holding their breath for this to come to fruition.

Local Producer Lloyd Kumley

During this interview, I was fortunate to be able to visit with one of the local producers, Lloyd Kumley, whose show “Social Well Being” has aired 276 times since 1996. Lloyd has been affiliated with CCTV since 1991 and enjoys working on productions that promote a benefit for the community.

Also, at the library’s Louck’s Lecture Hall during a school presentation, I found camera operators Raymond and Woody Dukes, brothers who have been volunteering for many years at CCTV. Also, former staffs Liz Schillinger on camera – when it’s in your blood you keep coming back! In the Louck’s control room are CCTV staff, Mike Wilhelm, IT specialist and Soha Badiei, producer/director.

Currently there are 750 hours a year produced by volunteer producers and the same amount of productions produced by CCTV staff.

If you are interested in presenting your views via Salem’s community access television, either by submitting information to the Community Billboard, creating a public service announcement, or making a production, CCTV would be the place to go. Below are a few links to follow to learn more about community based television and more links are offered at the CCTV site:
CCTV Salem
Alliance for Community Media Washington D.C.
ACM Northwest Region
Global Village Community TV Sweden
Portland Community Media