Don't Touch That Dial

     Every Christmas for the last 20+ years, Falls Cable Access has produced a unique program that ties the village denizens together like no other.  The Community Christmas Card has been a tradition in hundreds of households and receives the most feedback of any program on Channel 14.  Along with little vignettes depicting the Holiday Season, are greetings from community groups and village services.  From the service groups like Optimist and Rotary, to the Village staff, and special interest clubs, they all come together on 2 nights in December to give there annual greeting to the public. 

Busy Beavers 4-H Club at the annual taping.

     Each organization sends a small group of representatives, whether it is their board of directors or some of their members to the high school studio at a scheduled time.  A few quick rehearsals, double check the hair, and the cameras roll.  Although the actual greetings are only 15 seconds long, most groups and individual spent 15 or 20 minutes visiting with others and some check the posted schedule and wait to see other friends and neighbors when it is their turn.  The taping turns into it's own social event.  In past years calls were made 3 or 4 weeks before the taping to arrange times.  Now groups like the Volunteers in Partnership at Community Memorial Hospital or the Menomonee Falls Community Chamber call in October to make sure they are included.

      This year I'd like to extend the invite to any groups that haven't been contacted in the past so they can join the fun.  We are also looking for other ideas for the vignettes.  For those of you playing with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker on your computer, call me with your ideas or put together that 3 or 4 minute Christmas video using all your favorite snow pictures or all the Christmas lights in your neighborhood.  Be creative and festive.  Did your school or church have one Christmas musical number that stuck out form all the rest?  That could be one of the greetings.  Taping for the Community Christmas Card is the week of December 3rd, so email me as soon as you can if you would like to be part of the greetings.  If you have an idea or video for the vignettes, they need to be in by the following week. 

    Send us an email at info@fallscableaccess.com or call the studio (262) 251-2866 and leave a message.  You can help make this years Community Christmas Card the biggest ever!

THIS WEEK ON CHANNEL 14

Village Voices ... A can't miss these next few weeks is the show about the Patio Players "Best Christmas Pageant Ever".  It includes a moving tribute to long time Menomonee Falls treasure Jack Strawbridge. On another show, we get to meet the new Chief of Police, Anna Ruzinski who provides insight into her first few months in the Falls and plans for the future.

FOCUS on OUR CHILDREN...Once again Host Beth Harwood visits with the Directors and participants of the High School Band Revue and then spends time with the Police liaison and DARE instructors.  Upcoming shows include an update from the Superintendent and insight from student leaders in the district.

I Remember..Menomonee Falls....In the latest installment of IRMF, Jim Jeskewitz sits down with 4 of Menomonee Falls special ladies as they discuss "Holidays Past". This is truly the most entertaining show yet as one of the guests shows us at 97 years of age, that memories and anecdotes are truly priceless.

2007 Christmas Parade...There may have been some confusion out there when the Waukesha Christmas Parade showed up on Channel 14 in the Falls.  No it wasn't a mistake, Time Warner hired our crew to tape the parade for Waukesha as a sponsor because their mobile van was tied up.  As long as we had it, we decided to run it until the Falls Parade was complete.  Through the rest of the season it will be available on Digital on Demand Channel 1111.  Not available to you dish users.

School and Church Christmas Programs...Any Church or School in Menomonee Falls can send a DVD or VHS (Ugh) to the High School Office marked for Falls Cable Access attn. Harry Stoetzel to have their program air during the Holiday season.  They must be in by Thursday December 20th to be included in the rotation.

As Always...Stay Tuned! 

This Holiday Season looks to be the busiest ever for the Cable Access Channel in Menomonee Falls.  With new shows, more volunteers, Community Christmas Card participation at an all time high and more schools and churches submitting holiday programming, the daily schedule will stuffed full of goodies, just like Santa's sleigh.

The schedule for the new Mobile Video Van is also filling up.  This weekend a crew will be taping the Waukesha Christmas Parade, and next weekend the Falls Parade.  Several sporting events and a concert are also on tap. The photo below was taken inside the MVV during a recent Indians football game.

 RECENT LEGISLATION

On November 8th the Wisconsin Senate approved AB207 a bill introduced to promote competition amongst video providers, mostly cable and phone companies providing video service.  There was a long debate as to whether it will truly help the consumer when presented with more choices.  Time will only tell, but my guess is that those people who don't live in an urban hub will still only have one choice, and that provider will no longer have any regulations regarding quality or customer service. In the more populated and affluent areas, customers will be switching services back and forth looking for the best deal and the best service, actually costing them more. (Much like the fee on a balance transfer on your credit card. It may look like 4.9% interest but add the fee and you are back up to 11.9%).  A similar bill was adopted in Illinois that was better suited to the public, but Wisconsin choose to go with with the version written by the providers themselves.  I watched the entire process of amending the bill while I was working that day.  Each amendment relating to consumer protection and community access television was voted down with the exception of a sunset or grace period for the access channels who are losing funding and get this...an amendment to guarantee that cable companies broadcast the Badger games.  Didn't realize the Senate was made up of so many Badger alum's.

How will this bill effect Channel 14 in the Falls?  Not much at this point.  Many communities rely on PEG fees or pass through fees that the cable subscribers pay in addition to their monthly bill.  This bill will eliminate those fees in 3 years or when a communities current contract expires before the 3 years.  In some cases this accounts for 100% of a stations funding.  Many access centers around the state will be forced to close, denying the public access to the video providers system.  Our funding comes from franchise fees based on the providers gross receipts.  As of right now that shouldn't change but the percentage may change based on the the states idea of franchise fees.  Either way, Channel 14 will be providing programming for many years to come.  If you are interested in preserving free speech you may want to let the governor know that you oppose this bill as he has yet to commit to signing it.  You can email his office at http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/contact.asp and let them know your concern for AB207 and ask that they reconsider the bill adopted by Illinois.  Enough on the politics.

COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CARD

For the past 20 some years, the Community Christmas Card has become a beloved tradition in Menomonee Falls.  There are 2 sides to this unique program.  First there is the entertainment value, whether it is used as background music during gift wrapping and present opening, or just to see the faces and places that  make Menomonee Falls special.  Secondly there is the taping itself, where all the community service groups, non-profit organizations, youth groups, and village services get together and provide the holiday wishes.  It is always a fun 2 nights as people cross paths in and out of the high school studio, sometimes appearing in 2 or 3 group renditions of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".  This year the taping is scheduled for December 4th and 5th at the Access Studio in the high school.  If your group is interested in participating in the Community Christmas Card this year, please send me an email at info@fallscableaccess.com . Show the name of the group and the contact info.  We will then contact you for scheduling on one of the 2 nights.  There is a pretty tight schedule so appointed times are necessary.

SCHOOL AND CHURCH PROGRAMS

If your school or church has a holiday program that they have taped and would like it included in the rotation this Christmas, send a copy (preferably DVD) over to the high school office marked Attention Harry Stoetzel, Channel 14.  Provide the name of the program, the name of the school or church and the total running time of the program in minutes and seconds on the outside of the envelope.  Also include the contact information for returning the program.  Tapes and DVDs will be held for pickup unless they can be discarded.

 THIS WEEK ON CHANNEL 14

Morning Story is planning 2 new shows for the holidays for our pre-schoolers here in the Falls.  Be sure to watch for them weekdays at 9 am.

FOCUS on Our Children also has 2 new shows in November, visiting with the students involved in Band Revue and checking in with the officers in the DARE program.

Village Voices host Karen Nelson introduces us to the new Chief of Police, Anna Ruzinski and spends time with the Patio Players cast of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" 

Reel Movie Talk with Matt & Paul is about to come out of hiatus and there will be many new surprises in store. 

I Remember... Menomonee Falls gathers around a warm fire to talk about Christmas Past.

As Always... Stay Tuned!