I'm excited to announce that the second year of our NeighborMedia program kicked off last week with an orientation here at CCTV. Participants gathered to learn more about citizen journalism and discuss the local issues and topics they wish to cover over the next year.

During the next few months, many participants will receive training at CCTV in the following four tracks: Video Production, New Media, BeLive, and Audio/Radio Journalism. Visit CCTV's course offerings online. read more...

The New York Times recruited student reporters from colleges and universities across the country to report on student reaction to Friday night's Presidential Debate. The reviews are in: Senator Obama's message of change, relief to middle class families, and a smart foreign policy continues to resonate with young people. I will let our local Cambridge resident, Neil McMullen explain why. He speaks about turning 18 years old and voting for the first time with his naturalized United States citizen mother and older brother. Neil offers some insightful and personal feelings about democracy in America and the right to vote in the land of the free. I will be reporting on these final days of Presidential Debates and Election 2008...please follow video blogs. Be live...Be there

Revels and the Charles River Conservancy teamed up again to present RiverSing on September 21, 2008 to celebrate the first day of fall. The free giant community sing happened along the banks of the Charles by the Weeks Footbridge linking Allston and Cambridge.

In this short featurette you will see samples of performances by Bill Staines, David Coffin, Stan Strickland, Ken Field, Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band, the Mystic Drummers, the River Folk Band and members of the Mystic Chorale, Revels Repertory Company, Sharing a New Song, the Halalisa Singers, and the Greater Boston Intergenerational Chorus.

Quicktime is required to view this video.

Are you a Cambridge teen interested in learning about media? The School Year Production Program (SYPP) is a media production and work experience program designed to provide teens between 14 and 18 with an opportunity to develop career readiness and media production skills. During the SYPP, participants can work up to 8 hours each week. Participants learn camera, editing, lighting and audio skills and use these skills to produce a variety of videos—many that will address community issues, and others on topics of participants’ choice.

In the past, the SYPP has been an after school program, running three afternoons per week, from October to May. This year, we are considering adjusting our program schedule to include some weekend hours. The new schedule we are considering would include Sunday afternoons from 12 to 4 pm, and two additional weekdays after school. If you are interested in the SYPP, please complete the attached form. The program starts in early October.

The following video is an excerpt from this morning's press conference with MBTA General Manager Dan Grabauskas and Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons at the Alewife T Station.

Here's a bit from the MBTA's press release:

"MBTA General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas, joined by Mayor of Cambridge Denise Simmons and various bike advocacy groups gathered at Alewife Station on the Red Line to unveil the T’s first ever unstaffed bike cages. Accessible with a swipe of a Bike CharlieCard, two cages constructed to accommodate 150 bicycles each, will provide customers with a safe, secure, and sheltered location to park their bikes. These cages will more than double bike parking capacity at Alewife station to approximately 500 spaces." read more...

Last but not least, the rest of the group to be inducted tomorrow to CCTV's honorary board includes Jeff Lockwood, George Metzger, Professor Charles Ogletree, Nancy Ryan, Ellen Semonoff and Gail Pettiford Willett. In conjunction with their work at our universities, businesses and community institutions, these local professionals have advocated for CCTV in various ways over the course of our 20-year history.

Short bios for these six individuals and the rest of the honorary board can be found on the 2008 BBQ homepage. Please join us tomorrow at the BBQ to congratulate these individuals and thank them for their continued efforts to keep CCTV and public access strong. And most importantly, help us celebrate our 20th anniversary with lots of great food, entertainment and bidding! Tickets are $45 for adults; $20 for seniors; $18 for children under 12. All proceeds benefit CCTV's youth and special outreach programs. See you there!