We made it to the deadline and Somerville Media Center (SMC) is well represented as far as submissions to the Alliance for Community Media Hometown Video Awards Festival. For those unfamiliar with the Alliance for Community Media (ACM) it is the national organization (of which SMC is a proud member) of the more than 3000 Public, Education & Government (PEG) Access Centers across the country that “works to protect the interests of these access centers and those who use PEG facilities and equipment to advance their causes through cable television and the Internet.” The Hometown Awards are the Emmys of Access Television, and SMC and its members have a proud history of Hometown recognition. These submissions are an opportunity to celebrate the talents and creativity of Greater Somerville’s  community media producers, as well as a means to share their work beyond the New England region. Best of luck to folks.
While on this topic of exposure, I wanted to remind producers about the importance of taking steps to promote the shows that you work so hard to put together. In the Do-It-Yourself world of community media making, the DYI sentiment holds true for marketing and promoting your media efforts. This is how you build your audience. While SMC has taken steps to come up with :30 promo spots for live tv shows, and BFR requires producers to run spots for other shows in the line-up, there is a lot of room for producers to tap into their creativity to find ways to encourage the greater community to listen and/or watch. As a resource, SMC staff is here to help. And as diverse our membership is, I encourage you to ask fellow producers for ways they have managed to grow their viewership/listenership. You’re putting in the effort, because you feel your message is worth sharing. So be sure to let your community know that you have a message to share.
While on this topic of exposure, I wanted to remind producers about the importance of taking steps to promote the shows that you work so hard to put together. In the Do-It-Yourself world of community media making, the DYI sentiment holds true for marketing and promoting your media efforts. This is how you build your audience. While SMC has taken steps to come up with :30 promo spots for live tv shows, and BFR requires producers to run spots for other shows in the line-up, there is a lot of room for producers to tap into their creativity to find ways to encourage the greater community to listen and/or watch. As a resource, SMC staff is here to help. And as diverse our membership is, I encourage you to ask fellow producers for ways they have managed to grow their viewership/listenership. You’re putting in the effort, because you feel your message is worth sharing. So be sure to let your community know that you have a message to share.
