SAPA TV: Community News From The Comfort Of Your Living Room

SAPA TV interviewPublished in The Messenger, August 26, 2009 Located at Springfield High School, Springfield Area Public Access Corporation or SAPA TV is a not-for-profit public television channel currently celebrating their tenth year of operation. SAPA TV provides video production and training services for area residents and social service agencies that are interested in producing programs to inform and serve their local communities. Funded by the “PEG Access Fee," which is comprised through a small percentage of each cable subscriber's monthly bill, SAPA TV was created in 1998 and began to broadcast in 1999.
Each and every program on SAPA is sponsored by a local resident of Springfield, Chester, Weathersfield, Perkinsville or Ascutney and is also locally produced with the help of many local volunteers. "SAPA provides a very strong informational thread that runs through the fabric of all the communities we serve," SAPA program director Kevin Forrest said in a recent, exclusive Messenger interview. Forrest joined the SAPA team last winter after learning that executive director Bruce Johnson was looking for someone to help with programming and scheduling.
"After spending almost my entire working career in community journalism, coming to SAPA has been a comfortable and satisfying transition," Forrest said. "SAPA TV allows residents a raw, unfiltered view of their government bodies in action, as well as offering interesting historical and scientific programs for those who would like to broaden their knowledge."
The original Channel 13 was changed state-wide to Channel 8 in 2002, then SAPA TV was granted a second channel (Channel 10) in recognition of their hard work and the amount of shows they were producing each week. Channel 10 primarily carries government and educational-related programs such as local school sports, functions and school board meetings, while Channel 8 primarily carries public programs such as the Miller Arts Center and VAULT programs, garden club shows and hospital lectures.
SAPA TV equipment"It is certainly a challenge to fill two channels with a limited pool of programming, so at times there is redundancy," Forrest said. "But with the help of production manager and technical whiz Jared Gunnell, we are gradually making things more interesting. "Executive director Bruce Johnson's long, institutional memory and his wife Marita, who helped found SAPA 10 years ago, are also major contributors with their many community connections and slick video editing skills."
SAPPA TV membership is free to citizens from the aforementioned towns upon the completion of a video production workshop which in turn, gives members the opportunity to utilize the station's studio facilities including video production and editing equipment. SAPA TV members are also encouraged to get involved with any other station activities as well. "Through SAPA, the community has the ability for anyone to become an amateur film producer," Forrest added. "Citizens can create their own television shows to either entertain or promote a particular point of view."
Some of the services SAPA-TV offers includes camera training classes, linear and digital editing equipment and training, community bulletin board announcements, local school coverage as well as student internship opportunities.
A sampling of SAPA TV's current programming includes shows featuring low impact yoga, a health-related program, a model engineering show, a program about "getting out of debt", various panel discussions, a fine arts program and various church and local government programs, just to name a few.
"By capturing local performances by a variety of artists, SAPA TV provides unique entertainment right in the comfort of your living room," Forrest concluded. "People can watch anything from local sports to vicariously attending a church service, because public access isn't bound by a lot of rules about subject matter. “Indeed, you can watch some pretty interesting and weird stuff!"
To learn more about SAPA TV and the many services they offer, call 802-885-7983, 802-875-7983 or visit online at www.sapatv.com.