Technical Changes in Community Television

Brandon's Community Television is in the midst of a changeover to digital equipment in both studio and mobile unit. The image quality of this technology is much higher, with less degradation in the editing and transmission process than was possible with analogue machinery. The techniques for using the equipment are virtually the same on both systems. I was fortunate to be involved during the transition, as the machinery which was being used when I was around twenty years ago was essentially the same as what I re-started with last summer. As the new equipment arrived, I was able to shift over more smoothly.

Digital equipment is like a blend of the old reel-to-reel or cassette technology with all the benefits of home computers. The effects which are possible with digital editing are astounding when compared with what was possible on the old system. Obtaining the new effects is quite simple, and has the same look and feel as working any "Windows" program. Production techniques and editing logic remain the same, but the process of obtaining the effects is greatly simplified.

With the spread of computer and digital photo/video technology on the consumer market, most Churches will have people in them who can move into digital production and editing very quickly. Production techniques have to be learned, but the underlying technology will be quite familiar to many people. This means that the quality of the end production will be much higher than was possible before, with very little extra effort. One of the biggest problems with community television has been getting a high enough quality of image and clear enough sound on low budget equipment, after the production had been edited and transmitted to the homes. Some of those problems still remain, but they are now due to faulty production techniques, which can be remedied through training and experience, rather than inadequate equipment.

At present, under CRTC regulation, Cable companies have the option of sending 5% of their revenue to a Canadian Production fund or using it to support Community Television. In either case, the idea is that we as Canadians put some of the signal-transmission dollars into the production of programming with a Canadian flavor, rather than just paying for the transmission capabilities for the importing of foreign signals. This funding arrangement has shifted and changed over the years, but the underlying philosophy has remained virtually intact. Westman Cable has had a commitment to local community programming since its inception, and has chosen to maintain this capacity in its central hub, Brandon, and twenty surrounding towns.

At present, the Brandon station provides equipment and training for single camera operations, multiple camera studio and Multi camera mobile productions. There is still a strong commitment to involving local participation by residents of the community, which rises with increased skill and experience. In Winnipeg, such citizen participation has now ended, with all their production being conducted by staff, in a process resembling the National "C-PAC" operation. I believe that in a rural area like Brandon and its surrounding towns, such a shift would be a great loss to the community. We are indeed fortunate to have a fully functioning community television facility in our communities, especially in these times of rapid social change.