KOCT has produced a number of new, interesting North County focused programs since our last blog.

We now produce, twice per month, a topical program, North County Roundtable. A new show is produced on the 1^st and 3^rd Friday of every month and at 6 pm and 9 pm on KOCT’s channel 18.  Our Feb. 16^th program had a diverse group of interviewees starting with an exploration of the legalization of marijuana.

 Host Alison St. John interviewed Dallin Young, the Executive Director for the Association of Cannabis Professionals.

Our second guest was Neil Nagata, the President of the San Diego Farm Bureau and Nagata Brothers who discussed their opposition to the proposed SOAR initiative (Save Open space and Agricultural Resources)

Our last guest covered all things political in North County including the recent wave of District based elections. Tom Shepard, President of Tom Shepard and Associates had a far ranging discussion about the upcoming primaries, 76^th Assembly and the 49^th Congressional race.

Speaking of politics: A most unusual council meeting occurred on January 24^th in which the City Council selected former City Manager, Peter Weis to be the Mayor after the resignation of Mayor Wood due to illness. Watch it by clicking Jan. 24^th City Council Meeting concerning Mayor Selection and move the time-line to 22:07

KOCT is North County’s Channel: Here are links to a number of new programs to help keep you informed about your Home Town community:

Turkey Trot Newsbrief

Oceanside Community Resource Centers

Tri-City Medical Center Carlsbad Marathon

Oceanside Police Dept. Senior Volunteer Patrol Program

Remember you can watch any of KOCT extensive new and older programs by going to KOCT.ORG and clicking on Video On Demand. All of our new program are in Hi-Definition and can be seen on your computer, tablet or smart phone.  Can’t find what you’re looking for? Try using the Search feature at the top of the home page.

Kellie Davis is the new Producer for North County Roundtable

KOCT has a great line-up of North County Roundtable programs, hosted by  Kent Davy and Alison St. John and  you can watch every City Council meeting ‘live’ , replayed or as VOD.

Random Pixels

KOCT-The North County Channel has been busy producing a number of new programs—here’s a brief sample of them with easy-to-watch links to our extensive Video on Demand website . 

Check out KOCT.ORG or watch KOCT on Cox Cable in Oceanside on either channel 18 (the Community Channel) or channel 19 (the Government Channel. KOCT is also available on AT&T’s U-Verse (channel 99) anywhere in the county.

Jeremy Sewell, Performing Arts Theater Manager gives tour of new facility

Oceanside High School Performing Arts Center Ribbon Cutting A ribbon cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the opening of Oceanside High School’s new Performing Arts Center. 

The center has a 502-seat main theater, a black box theater, indoor and outdoor scenery shops, classroom space, a recording studio plus outdoor seating and performance areas.
The ribbon cutting ceremony featured members from the OUSD Board of Directors, OHS Officials, City Officials and other important key players that helped bring this facility to life

Open Enrollment –Tri-City Medical Center--If you are 65 and wish to receive or change your Medicare provider you'll want to watch this new PSA from our community hospital. They have many free information sessions about your many choices. The enrollment period ends in December so don't dawdle! 

Star Theatre Mural Ribbon Cutting—Main Street Oceanside has launched a community supported effort to install large artistic Murals in downtown Oceanside. This News Brief highlights the premier of the first mural on the side of the Star Theatre.

What’s happening at Tri-City Medical Center: Cardiac Electrophysiology with Dr. David Cohen

On this episode, host John Bonosoro speaks with Dr. David Cohen, a Cardiac Electrophysiologist at Tri City Medical Center. He specializes in treating heart rhythm disorders, also known as arrhythmia.
During the program, Dr. Cohen discusses Electrophysiology, arrhythmia, and therapies that are available for patients with heart failure.



Oceanside Update sponsored by Scripps Health- This monthly program highlights the many city events and activities in our growing and dynamic city.

CurbUp

The City of Oceanside has partnered with Waste Management and Goodwill San Diego to bring you CurbUp! The CurbUp program was designed to reroute bulky items headed for the landfill to a Goodwill Outlet Center. CurbUp gives Oceanside residents the opportunity to donate large household items and textiles for reuse, and will help keep valuable resources out of our landfills.

Hepatitis A Prevention PSA

The San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency identified an outbreak of Hepatitis A in San Diego County, primarily in the homeless population. 

Hepatitis A can be spread through ingestion of fecal matter (even in microscopic amounts), by touching objects or eating food that someone with the Hepatitis A infection has handled; close person-to-person contact with an infected person; use of recreational drugs, whether injected or not; and sexual contact with someone who has the Hepatitis A infection. Vaccination is the best way to prevent infection.  Call 2-1-1 to find a clinic near you to request the vaccine or contact your doctor.

A great way to support a local media resource like KOCT is to become a Friend of KOCT—Find our why Ron Rand has become a supporter!

New program about Prince of Peace Abbey on KOCT

Eighteen years ago KOCT produced a comprehensive documentary about our local Benedictine Abbey called Ora et Labora. This 1999 award-winning program was created by a team of creative professionals. I was proud to be the Executive Producer of the program and even spent a night at the Abbey with our talented cameraman and Associate Producer  Matthew Beck in order to get footage of  their  early morning mass and to record the sunrise from the abbey's  hill top perspective. The program was edited by Richard Sinatra and the script was written by Janet Nicholes.

I’m pleased to announce the premiere of a new program about the Abbey called   “Prince of Peace Abbey- Haven of Peace” This new program was made in close cooperation with Father Charles Wright, the former Abbot of the Abbey. The program features new high-definition footage including beautiful aerial footage taken with a drone that highlights the unique architecture of this local religious institution.  

The program was filmed by Jon Beltz and Edited by Miguel Blanco.  Special thanks to Miguels parents,  Concepcion and Norma Blanco,  who volunteered as our Abbey 'visitors' for this production. 

Viewers will discover that they can take retreats and renew their faith and refresh their soul at this hilltop haven. The Abbey’s church services are open to the public as is the station of the cross trail with beautiful views of our local chaparral and Pacific Ocean. There is also a gift shop that is open to the public.

The program will air on KOCT’s channel 19 throughout August on Cox Cable and AT&T’s channel 99

Channel 19:

August 7, 9, 11 – 2:00PM

August 8 & 10 – 7:00PM

August 13 – 12:30PM

August 14, 16, 18 – 5:30PM

August 15 & 17 – 2:00PM

August 19 – 1:00PM

August 20 – 12:30PM

August 21, 23, 25 – 2:00PM

August 22 & 24 – 7:00PM

August 28, 30 – 5:30PM

August 29 & 31 – 2:00PM

September 1 – 5:30PM

A special thanks to the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce for all the good work they do for our community in support of local businesses. KOCT was recently acknowledged for being a member of the chamber for the past 30 years! We are and will continue to be  chamber partners with a  mutual goal of improving our Oceanside community.

Community Connection is a weekly blog by KOCT's Executive Director, Tom Reeser

Check out these new KOCT programs:

Summer is here and our local teenagers are hitting the beach and relaxing after a busy school year. KOCT celebrates their achievements with a three new programs that  you'll want to watch and share with family and friends.

Martin  Luther King Jr.  Scholarship Garden Reception 2017: The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Program is sponsored by the City of Oceanside and managed by the Housing Commission, a citizen advisory panel appointed by the City Council. Every May a beautiful and well attended Garden Reception is held at the home of Janet Bledsoe-Lacy to award these Scholarships.  You'll enjoy hearing the story of these young high school graduates and  their future plans. 

The students were selected from 73 applicants, and represent Oceanside, El Camino, Ocean Shores, Vista, and Mission Vista High Schools. All of the funds received by the students came from donations from the public. Watch it now by clicking HERE or watch it on cable television: 

Air plays for this program are:

AT&T U-verse (Ch. 99)  OR Cox Cable-Channel 19 -

Friday (6/16): 5:30PM

Saturday (6/17): 10:00AM

Sunday (6/18): 11:00AM

Monday (6/26): 5:30PM

Wednesday (6/28): 5:30PM

Friday (6/30): 5:30PM

Sunday (7/2): 11:00AM

The 2017 Oceanside High School Graduation Commencement Ceremony occurred June 8th at the Jr. Seau Amphitheater. KOCT was there to capture this wonderful memory. Watch now by clicking HERE.

If you would like a DVD copy of this program please call (760) 722-4433 or e-mail koct@koct.org

North County Talks - OHS Health Academy

Oceanside High School’s Healthcare Academy is a program that allows students to research and present on global health issues. Students in this program spend a semester researching and becoming experts in their topic as well as receive college credit upon completion. During this episode of North County Talks, students from the academy held a panel discussion on human trafficking and birth control access.

Click HERE to watch! 

KOCT's talented crew recently produced a new News Brief--Stay in tune with our North County Community by staying tuned to KOCT-North County's Channel 

Vista Strawberry Festival

 The annual #VistaStrawberryFestival is a family fun event that is held in downtown Vista every year. Sponsored by Tri-City Medical Center, there are many different activities, performances, informational booths and much more. Check out this News Brief by clicking HERE. 

KOCT has  a new television series called What’s Happening at Tri-City Medical Center.  Our first program celebrates June’s Men’s Health Month with a program featuring Dr. Jason Phillips, a Board Certified Urologist. It’s an informative program that discusses the need for men to have annual check-ups, treatments for prostate cancer and related topics.

Our first show is hosted by John Bonosoro and it features three 10-minute segments which makes sharing the links with friends and family members easy. They can watch any segment or the whole show on their smart phone, tablet or computer—all in Hi-Definition.

Tune in starting on Monday June 5^th for the premiere of this new series. It will begin playing Monday through Friday on KOCT’s channel 18 Community Channel  at 7am and 6 pm

Another great series of programs KOCT will premier starting next Monday are our annual High School Spectrums.  Each year KOCT teaches students from El Camino and Oceanside High School how to operate the cameras, switchers, Teleprompters and other studio equipment so they can produce their own Oceanside Spectrum television programs.  

Each student comes in the month before when we tape our regular Oceanside Spectrum program with Host Elaine Swan and a KOCT employee or college intern shows them how to operate the equipment.  The next month’s show features a high school host or hosts and guests from their high schools to talk about subjects such as the soon to be completed theatre at Oceanside High School.

 These shows can be instrumental in the lives of these young students. I recall the story of one young lady from El Camino who came to the KOCT studios and saw all of the young, professional women who were then working at KOCT. She was so inspired that she changed her career choice, attended the prestigious Brooks Institute in Ventura and is working full-time in the communications field .

So check out these professional program produced by teenagers from our community about our two local high schools. The series begins on June 5th on channel 18 and airs M-F 8:00AM and 7:00PM .The high schools will rotate every other day with El Camino beginning on Monday and OHS beginning on Tuesday. They will switch the following week with Oceanside High School playing on M/W/F and El Camino High School playing on T/TH.

One Final Note:

Do you value programs that feature your hometown community? Would you like to see more programs for, by and about North County? If so please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. It’s easy just CLICK here.

KOCT will  air,  beginning on June 5th,   our Special Edition: High School Spectrum  featuring video students from both El Camino and Oceanside High Schools.  High School Spectrum is a good example of  KOCT’s student intern service. We have developed an effective workforce development program that provides real world experience for high school and college students .

One of our student interns can now be seen nightly on the local NBC affiliate NBC 7 as a Reporter. Elena Gomez  graduated from Chapman University in 2009, with a Bachelor’s in Television and Broadcast Journalism and minors in Public Relations and Spanish. In college, Gomez received the “Most Promising Broadcast Journalist” award, one of Chapman University’s most prestigious honors for broadcast students. After graduation she worked as an editor for the NBC 7 News Today for over a year.

Throughout her college years and after, Gomez worked at KOCT. There she experienced true hands-on-training by editing, writing, producing and reporting stories along with working as an assistant director, camerawoman and floor director for larger productions. She received W.A.V.E. and S.T.A.R awards for reporting excellence and an award from the San Diego Society of Professional Journalists for producing an in-studio talk show.

In September 2011, Elena earned a spot as a news associate for NBC 7, working as a multimedia journalist where she shot, edited, wrote and reported daily stories for the evening newscasts. She is currently a Reporter for NBC 7, San Diego.

One of our current part-time employees is Andrew Jimenez,  one of KOCT's newest editors/cinematographers. He attended San Diego City College's Radio, TV, and Film Department for a certificate in Documentary, Film, and Video Production.  He received his bachelor's degree in Communications with an emphasis in Digital Media from CSU Bakersfield. He has also worked with NFL Films as a camera operator and produced his own feature film. He recently produced a short program about KOCT’s Internship program check it out HERE.

Random Pixels: 4-13-17

• Watch this months Journalist Roundtable featuring three  informative guests:

Our first guest was 5th District Supervisor Bill Horn who discussed his annual State of North County Address and other issues in his huge San Diego County district.

Our second guest was Oceanside Council member Jerry Kern to talk about the decommissioning of the San Onofre Power Plant and District elections in Oceanside.

Our third guest was newly elected Carlsbad Council Member Cori Schumacher in her first appearance on KOCT. She discussed her pro-surfing career and the path that led her to run for a council seat.  Host Kent Davy, KPBS's Alison St. John and San Diego Union-Tribune's North County Editor Melanie Marshall also asked about the recent controversial decision to record the license plate of all drivers entering Carlsbad. Council Member Schumacher was the only official to vote against this action.

You can watch this episode  anytime, anywhere on your Smart Phone, Tablet or Computer by going to KOCT.ORG and clicking on Video On Demand: Journalist Roundtable.


KOCT crew are completing production on an upcoming program about the Prince of Peace Abbey and the spiritual retreats they offer. Watch for it in May!

Throwback Thursday Picture

Candidates running for Mayor of Oceanside appearing on a special "Senior Scene" program. Second from left is former Mayor Dick Lyon and second from right is former Council member Sam Williamson--both of whom passed away earlier this year.