Saint Paul Neighborhood Network

Infobox Network
network_name = Saint Paul Neighborhood Network
network_
branding =
country = United States
network_type = cable television network
slogan = "Building Community Through Television"
available = Cable subscribers living in Saint Paul, Minnesota
owner =
launch_date = 1985
founder =
key_people =
website = http://www.spnn.org

The Saint Paul Neighborhood Network, or SPNN for short, is a non-profit community cable television station that is located in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. Broadcasting on five channels, it reaches more than 52,000 viewers. Its primary funder is the city's cable provider, Comcast.

History

SPNN was created in 1985 under the name "Cable Access St. Paul" when the city received a cable provider, but it did not become a full-time television station until 1993. In 1995, the station changed its name to "Saint Paul Neighborhood Network" and has kept that name since then. In the late 1990s, SPNN's channels were changed upon St. Paul's switch to digital cable.

Credits

SPNN also has credit for broadcasting a number of shows that moved up the ladder to TPT (KTCA), the Twin Cities non-profit broadcast television organization and its affiliated network, PBS. These shows include "Mental Engineering", aired on PBS and Kev Koom Siab and What, aired on TPT.

Access

SPNN, as with most cable access stations, offers the use of its equipment and programs to anyone who wishes to broadcast a television show and purchases a membership to the network. Members can then take instructional classes on any or all of the equipment used in the studio and production truck. After taking these classes, members will become certified to use whatever equipment they were trained to use and check out the equipment through its access center at any time. Members can also take advantage of their editing suites, which feature programs used by the producers of SPNN, including Adobe After Effects and Adobe Photoshop. Upon completing their program, members can submit their tapes which are aired on its public access channel. People are also allowed to use the main studio to tape their own programs, provided that they have been certified in all the necessary studio elements.

Outreach

In 2007, SPNN's access department activated a YouTube account, uploading many of the tutorials offered as classes for viewers to watch at their convenience. Their YouTube channel also includes lessons on white balancing, using the studio's audio mixer, and operating the studio's light meter, all from SPNN's producers. In 2008, SPNN began uploading their in-house series, "All Things Access". "All Things Access" continues the video tutorials while profiling SPNN's members and other non-profit groups operating in the Twin Cities. According to its description, SPNN's YouTube channel focuses on public access and community television.

In 2007, SPNN became a member of YouTube's non-profit program. This allows visitors to contribute online donations on the YouTube web page.

Community productions

In addition to its public access network, SPNN facilitates a community productions department that airs programming 16 hours a day. This includes three studio shows that air back-to-back in a 2-hour block three times a day. Various programs that are not aired on a daily basis have also been televised in their studio, including a live holiday show where children can call the studio to talk to Santa Claus. The downtown facility has two studios that feature identical equipment. These studios have four cameras, a switcher, an audio board, two DV CAM decks, two super VHS decks, two mini DV decks, 7 monitors (one for each camera plus a CG, Preview, and Program monitor), a Waveform and Vectorscope monitor for white balance and a graphics console computer capable of accessing the Internet. The larger of the two is their main studio and is located in the access center, while the smaller studio can be found in the office suites.

On-location productions

A number of programs that air on the community productions channel are also televised on-location, requiring the use of its production truck. The production truck is made of two parts, a storage compartment and a "control room". The storage compartment holds 4 cameras and a tripod for each, although additional cameras have been used, sandbags, camera cables, headphones for the camera operators, wheel bases to mobilize the cameras, viewfinder case, and mats to assist in holding the camera cables in place. The control room contains a switcher that can take a total of 12 camera outputs, two DV CAM decks, a DPS replay deck, a DVD deck, an audio board, a Waveform and Vectorscope monitor for white balancing, 7 monitors for the director (4 cameras plus a CG, Program and VTR monitor), and a graphics console computer that does not have Internet access. One of the DV CAM decks is used to record the broadcast on tape to be aired at a later time.

In a typical calendar year, the production truck will be sent out to televise various events. Many of the broadcasts are tape-delayed, known as "live-to-tape" in the television world. However, in January 2006, they ran a live broadcast of the inauguration ceremony for St. Paul mayor Chris Coleman. Other events include broadcasts of various parades, high school sports, theatrical performances, the St. Paul High School Honors concert held at the Ordway theater and the popular Rondo Days drill team competition. Should there be an instance when the truck is either under maintenance or already being used on another shoot, a portable switcher will be used. The portable switcher can take up to four cameras and also carries a DV CAM deck for recording. In addition, many shoots consist of conferences or meetings that only require one camcorder, forgoing either the van or switcher. Instead, the event is taped and then edited in the downtown studio to be aired at a later time.

Youth Education

One of the staples SPNN boasts is its youth education department. The program is heavily involved in mentoring youth, regardless of age, in the creation of television media. SPNN's youth department hosts a number of courses through a program known as St. Paul Connections where students can take classes for high school credit. The youth education program also gives adolescents and teen-agers the opportunity to produce their own television show which is taped at the SPNN downtown studio and then aired on its youth education channel. The youth department offers access to iBook laptops, mini DV camcorders, non-linear editing systems iMovie and Final Cut Pro, and access to the studio equipment itself. Those who are members of the youth department can also take up an internship at SPNN where they can take instructional courses offered by the access department free of charge and/or volunteer on community production broadcasts, all of them offering access to television production equipment and hands-on training.

External links

* [http://www.spnn.org SPNN official website]
* [http://www.spnn.org/youth Youth Education page]
* [http://www.youtube.com/bonnieschumacher SPNN access department's Youtube channel]