Oceanside Spectrum High School Edition

A weekly blog from Tom Reeser, KOCT’s Executive Director

Oceanside Spectrum is one of the only programs on television that allows local non-profits the opportunity to publicize their needs, promote their fundraising events and inform the public about the good work they do in the community.

Local media is often overshadowed by the thousands of media choices now available to viewers – hundreds of TV channels and thousands of internet distractions compete for limited attention spans. But the good work that KOCT performs is not just in its local focused programs but also in the unique services it provides.

For example, each year for the past decade, KOCT has been producing two special High School Edition Oceanside Spectrums with video students from El Camino and Oceanside High School.  These special programs allow local students to take a crash course in camera operation, floor directing, hosting and directing – taught by KOCT’s professional staff.  And the public benefits by watching programs for, by and about our local high schools and their teachers and events. 

Sharon Strong teaches video production at El Camino High School and Frank Zimmerman for Oceanside High School.  Many of their students return after graduating to work at KOCT and gain real world experience in the competitive field of communications.

These shows are now being edited by the students and will air on KOCT beginning in May. These programs will also be available for viewing on your iPad, smart phone or computer as Video On Demand!

So stay tuned!!

KOCT Grant Award

A weekly blog from Tom Reeser, KOCT’s Executive Director

KOCT would like to thank the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and 5^th District Supervisor Bill Horn for their support of our community television station.  The County’s Neighborhood Reinvestment Program provides grant funds to County departments, public agencies, and to non-profit community organizations (like KOCT!) for one-time community, social, environmental, educational, cultural or recreational needs.

County Board of Supervisors

KOCT submitted a successful grant application to replace our aging cablecast equipment.  KOCT ’Cablecast department has done a great job working with this obsolete system but it is beginning to fail. It is not unexpected since this equipment (& staff) operate two channels 24/7.  The current equipment has lived past its expected operating life and is obsolete—the manufacturer no longer repairs or supports the software and equipment and it cannot air hi-definition programming.

We received a generous grant of $60,000 which is about half the cost of the new equipment KOCT needs to operate our channel. The new equipment is more user friendly and is capable of the new television standard- Hi-Definition.

KOCT will need community support to help KOCT raise the additional funds and we hope you will attend our next Fundraiser and help us to modernize our cablecast equipment.

Thank You- San Diego County Board of Supervisors and county staff for your generous support of community television!

Here’s a glimpse at the Cablecast Team that work behind the scenes to provide our viewers with quality community television:

Phoenix Von Hendy, IT Specialist

Angela Miranda, KOCT Production Supervisor

Peter Bonscher produces the KOCT Program Schedule for both Channel 18 & 19

Aaron Capehart & Mizuho Yonemoto

KOCT wins Telly Award for documentary series!   KOCT-Your Community Channel recently won a Bronze, People’s Choice Award, for one of the programs in our 6-part series: The Adobes and Ranchos of North County.  “The Kelly Adobe” program was one of the first in-depth documentaries about this pioneer Kelly family that at one time owned a rancho larger than Carlsbad.  This program made possible by a generous grant from The Parker Foundation (Gerald and Inez Parker) Tom Reeser was the Executive Producer and Lola Sherman the Script Writer.  The Field Producer was Jake Rush and the Editor was Miguel Blanco. The Narrator was Harvey Kaufman. Congratulations to all who participated in this award-winning series!

(Left) Editor Miguel Blanco and Field Producer Jake Rush

North County Economic Summit 2016

A weekly blog from Tom Reeser, KOCT’s Executive Director

Thanks to a generous grant from Tri-City Medical Center KOCT was able to roll its high-definition Mobile Studio to cover an important North County event. KOCT provided four camera coverage of the 3^rd annual North County Economic Summit held on March 2^nd at the La Costa Resort.

Mark Vitner, the Wells Fargo Managing Director and Senior Economist presented a forecast on national, state and regional data and trends. BW Research President Josh Williams presented a North County Perspective.

There was also an informative panel on Work, Housing and Transportation. This quality of life panel was hosted by KOGO radio’s George Chamberlin.  Alison St John, KPBS’s North County Bureau Chief was in attendance and reported that Carl Morgan, chief professional officer of the North County Economic Development Corp., said one reason for the difficulty in attracting middle-class jobs is lack of affordable housing.  She noted that “The BW Research Report showed more than a third of North County residents commute more than half an hour to work. Fewer than two percent use public transit, while 87 percent drive alone.“

KOCT will air this program throughout the month of March and April on both KOCT Channels 18 & 19. We have also posted the program as Video on Demand.

Event Photos provided courtesy of David Sumaya with dmzvisual

New Programming on KOCT

A weekly blog from Tom Reeser, KOCT’s Executive Director

Check out the wealth of new programs coming to KOCT beginning March 7^th!

Peter Bonscher with WAVE Awards

KOCT’s Peter Bonscher is a multi-talented KOCT staff member who Produces, Edits and records Voice-Over narration. In his ‘spare’ time he produces the monthly KOCT program schedule—filling two television channels with a variety of programs—24/7!  And he has a lot of interesting programs on the schedule this spring:

HOST_ELAINE SWANN_CANDID

SET_FORMAL_CARMEN NAVA, MONICA CHAPA-DOMERCQ, ELAINE SWANN

BEHIND SCENE_TELEPROMPTER, FD, AND LIVE SET

d captionOne of your favorite programs Oceanside Spectrum (with vivacious host Elaine Swann) has been added to the daily afternoon schedule at 3pm, Monday through Friday on Channel 18.  

Also on channel 18, on Tuesday and Thursday, Your Sanctuary: Waterways (Monterey Bay Aquarium programs) plays at 2:30 pm, and Curiosity Quest (kid-focused Eco program at 3:30pm. Curiosity Quests has programs on water reclamation, trash free challenge and organic farming to name a few examples.

On Sunday mornings Peter has put together a lineup of issue oriented programs on KOCT- channel 18: 

7:00 am – Journalist Roundtable

8:00 am – This is America and the World (US ambassadors positioned around the world talk about their jobs and America’s role in the world)

8:30 am – Global Connections TV with Bill Miller -- GCTV explores and covers diverse world issues such as hunger, poverty, security, economic development, energy, world health, migration, war, human rights, tolerance and international trade.  Oceanside has three active Rotary Clubs as does Carlsbad and Vista—Rotarians might find it of interest that host Mr. Miller helped develop international education programs at the local level and the “Rotary Day at the United Nations Program.” He was President of the Frankfort Rotary Club (2000-01) and was the Rotary District 6710 Governor (2003-2004

9:00 am – Conflict Zone—This new program focuses on the planet’s zones of conflict

9:30 am – Quadriga -- International journalists, commentators, discuss one of the week's major talking points. The panel of foreign correspondents and German journalists clash on key political, business and cultural topics in the Quadriga studio in Berlin. Sparks are sure to fly as they debate the controversial issues dominating the global news agenda.

KOCT is proud to air this unique line-up of programs. These shows cannot be found anywhere else on your dial—just like the many local programs that KOCT produces for, by and about our unique North County Community.  

Youth Success Week

A weekly blog from Tom Reeser, KOCT’s Executive Director

 BOBBIE DEPORTER, STEDMAN GRAHAM, AND ANGELA MIRANDA

DR. DUANE COLEMAN 

MICHEYL STEINWAY RECORDS THE AUDIENCE AT THE YSW CLOSE

KOCT was a joyous participant in Oceanside’s recent Youth Success Week.  We invited the Superintendent of Oceanside Unified School District Duane Coleman to the KOCT studios to record daily messages that were then   played in the classrooms each morning.  Each day Mr. Coleman highlighted one of the eight keys of excellence.  These character building mantras were developed by Quantum Learning Network and its President Bobbie DePorter. The videos were edited by KOCT’s Micheyl Steinway.

 SHELBIE HAHN, JON BELTZ, AND GINA VIOLENT AT YSW OPENING

KOCT’s efforts did not stop there. KOCT’s Production Supervisor, Angela Miranda led the KOCT production staff to capture both the opening ceremony held at the Quantum Learning Network AND the closing ceremony which was held at the Junior Seau Beach Amphitheater.  The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote a good article about this innovative week of youth empowerment. 

STEDMAN GRAHAM AT YSW CLOSING

PERFORMERS AT YSW CLOSE

YOUTHS WATCH THE YSW CLOSING EVENT

These two News briefs programs were edited by Toby Maysey and will be played throughout the KOCT programming day. They are also posted as Video On Demand on KOCT.ORG.   The Community Alliance for Youth Success, or CAYS, has been working for three years to help Oceanside students become successful in their lives and it all culminated into this week long event.  Thanks to Angela, Micheyl, Toby and the entire KOCT production crew for their efforts to help our youth succeed!