Alle-Kiski Community Access Television Station (AKTV)
AKTV will be a community run audio/video learning center that broadcasts over the air
waves, internet and cable. It will be hosted at the Alle-Kiski Valley Active Adult Center.
This will facilitate multi-generational interactions and the cross pollination of ideas and
skills. The goal is to offer a place to learn, create and take-to-market educational,
governmental and community based programs. All people from the surrounding areas
will be welcome to participate. AKTV will integrate and share talent from the
surrounding schools, youth and adult organizations. There will also be an effort to staff
the facility from within.
The groups who have expressed support for this endeavor are;
Alle-Kiski Valley Active Adult Center
New Kensington Town Council and Mayor
Westmoreland County Community College aka “WCCC”
Penn State New Kensington aka “PSNK”
Singers, Producers, Entertainers, Artists in Kindness aka “SPEAK”
New Kensington Civic Theater
New Kensington Chamber of Commerce
AKTV community access will serve as a broadcast outlet for videos produced at:
the main studio in the AK Valley Active Adult Center
WCCC facilities
PSNK facilities
local schools that have or will have production capabilities
local church groups that have or will have production capabilities
civic groups that have or will have production capabilities
local citizens that have production capabilities provided they follow the format of the
station, i.e. educational, governmental or civic minded
There will be no charge to participate, but AKTV will retain the rights to broadcast all
material produced in its facilities, as well as market and rebroadcast on other stations.
When the shows are commercially distributed, then AKTV will retain 50% of the profit
with 25% going to the Alle-Kiski Active Adult Center and 25% to the station for
upgrades and operational expenses. The content creators, including the crew, will divide
the remaining 50% in a fashion to be determined at a later date. The studio will also be
available “for hire,” but the focus will be on content creation and “back end” moneys.
AKTV will be a platform to develop shows that will also be pitched for broadcasting on
other stations i.e. WQED, A&E, The History Channel, Discovery, Google TV, Apple TV
and others.
Video is rapidly developing into the mortar that holds the bricks of creativity together.
AKTV community access will benefit the community by providing:
educational, informational and locally relevant programming
a center for the citizens to learn and refine marketable skills
a place for local talent to meet, work and grow together
an opportunity for the citizens to create their own good news about the area making it
more attractive for others to visit, shop or live.
an archive of local history for future generations
Formats for people to be heard facilitating conflict resolution
All local citizens that have production capabilities provided they follow the format of the
station, ei, educational, governmental or civic minded.
Knowing how to make a video today is like knowing how to write when the printing
press was invented. Google searches videos before they search any other file type. In the
near future, I project that virtual sales will surpass shopping as we know it today. Google
will expand Google Earth to simulate visits inside a store, peruse their shelves and buy
items anywhere on the planet. YouTube is used by many to learn various software
applications, make household repairs, garden, cook, play instruments and a multitude of
other “how to” and educational instructions. Video resumes will gradually increase over
printed resumes and provide companies a better "feel" of the potential employee. Video
will create new industries which service these and other unanticipated applications.
It is important to locate the studio where the eldest of the population congregate. This
will facilitate the interaction of generations and supply the young with material to learn
the technical aspects of video production. All involved will acquire an increased
awareness about the history of the community and preserve the recent past for future
generations. To know where we come from helps us to determine where we want to go. If
given the opportunity to develop video skills, it will help them become more expressive
and provide them with a competitive edge on these emerging platforms.
Many people feel the most difficult part of video is the audio and background sound, or
music. This is an often overlooked market for musicians. The creation of music beds for
video can be lucrative, especially if there is a track record or reputation of quality
material. Our surrounding region has consistently proven it produces prodigious musical
talents. To generate a revenue stream for musicians, that has nothing to do with serving
alcohol, will be welcomed and met with agreeable cooperation.
A goal to strive for would be to develop a mentorship program within the school systems.
The students with the knowledge could earn college credit as they teach their skills to
others.