The Community TV Trust [CTVT]
was set up in 1998, registering as a
charity in 2000. It promotes
the local use of media and new media.
Self esteem and general personal
empowerment come from participating in
local media making. also aiding social
inclusion, and cross-cultural understanding
in communities. Where Ofcom used to call
us
'citizen-consumers' and regulate Public
Service Broadcasting (PSB), CTVT sees
'producers' and Public Service Media
(PSM). Individuals, groups and schools are
increasingly active. In south London
they are participating in CTVT's unique,
five-year old community media project, "Southwark.TV"
[www.southwark.tv] (see below) - a CMS website
where currently fifty schools and
community organisations publish their
own multimedia, receive
basic support in IT, video and multimedia
production, attend screenings, work on
or participate in occasional TV
productions. Thus CTVT is promoting media
literacy, active citizenship and social
cohesion ... it sounds too good to be
true but it is all there.
Local radio has blossomed recently in
Britain, but broadband too is on the
move. So the next step for CTVT is the
national rollout of the
Southwark.TV model. Plans are under
way, meetings have taken place with Ofcom who found some of the media
produced through Southwark.TV to be
'inspiring', but Parliament is slow to
endorse a meaningful community media
fund to recognise the enormous latent
potential in this field. We think five
Government Departments could logically
support such a programme. DCMS, DfES,
DWP, DCLG, DH ...
"Southwark
Template"
: WEB - EVENT - TV
A tripartite template for community
media has emerged in Southwark: beside
WEB, the "Southwark.TV"
website itself, there are EVENTS,
from
2004 "Southwark.TV
Screenings" and last year
the inaugural Southwark.TV Festival of
Film & Photography; in 2005 there was TV,
as CTVT produced two series of SOUTHWARK HOUR,
a local TV discussion programme
featuring locally made films, broadcast
on the Community Channel ... and now in
2008, to broaden our understanding of
what TV might be, comes IPTV - internet
protocal TV (see below).
So, it is the
local experience of others 'consuming'
your media that "truly links the media
made with the life lived". This is
beyond the mainstream.
With its media training and media creation CTVT is currently active in London and
Cornwall, and is seeking funding
to support work in
Palestine. It also has links via
YMCA to Yangon in Myanmar (formerly Burma)
and via "Southwark.TV" connects with
organisations in Brazil and Australia. In addition it e-publishes its occasional CTVT Newsletter and is preparing a Negative News Report focussing on the nature of mainstream news material and the balance of content. This latter project will be presented as a discussion paper to media owners and practitioners, to academia, to medical practitioners and politicians, both local and national.
Chris Haydon, director and managing trustee of Community TV Trust, is increasingly keen on spreading the practice of cross-community partnership. This supports small, single projects as much as it can facilitate large and open-ended ventures like "Southwark.TV". Opportunities to consult on new work overseas are welcomed.

CTVT was established by CHRIS HAYDON, an award-winning broadcast professional and director/managing Trustee of Community TV Trust. When not engaged with the Trust's activities and project development, Chris produces and directs videos and programming for tx, web and corporate markets.
Local & Relevant
For community and "dotTV" it is the local content of programming that is relevant not the size of the audience. Participation will enrich the individual's sense of engagement with her/his community and by extension with her/his own life. Locally targeted special-interest programming may also be facilitated (inc. lifelong learning and distance learning projects), which will clearly serve the schools, colleges and universities participating in the project.
AFFILIATIONS
Chris Haydon is affiliated to Community Media Association and Community Action Network and is pleased to be developing relations with the Community Channel
once again. Chris also offers twenty years of experience as a freelance producer/director in broadcast TV and an impressive CV in corporate production.
PROJECTS
In summary, Community TV Trust has created links and productions in a variety of areas.
1. "SOUTHWARK.TV"
In
February 2003
CTVT launched a
unique open-access community media
project across the London Borough of Southwark,
which at the beginning of February 2008
marked its fifth birthday. Expansion
from 9 pilot partners in early 2003 has brought
more than fifty schools and community groups into active participation,
with each partner building and maintaining their
part of the site.
Four overseas partners have signed up, coming from Bethlehem in Palestine's West Bank, from Yangon in Myanmar,
from Belo Horizonte in Brazil and
Sydney, Australia. In Spring 2003 a local cinema carried a 30-second
Southwark.TV trailer blown up to 35mm;
screening & discussion events began in September
2004; throughout 2005 CTVT with great
volunteer support made SOUTHWARK HOUR,
a TV discussion series for and by local
people, filmmakers and Southwark.TV
partners. There were ten one-hour
programmes in all.
www.southwark.tv
2.
SOUTHWARK.TV
on IPTV
In January 2008
Community TV Trust signed
with Global Digital Broadcast to launch
an IPTV platform. This new technology
allowing broadband carried VoD onto your
TV set will enable CTVT to offer more
video and is likely to be the precursor
of a new culture of TV channels. We'll
all have one.
3.
SOUTHWARK.TV
FESTIVAL
of Film & Photography
9th-12th October 2006
Community TV Trust launched a
new 4-day event in Southwark to coincide
with World Mental Health Day this
October. Four local mental health
organisations received media
training, made films etc. Screenings,
talks and an exhibition followed ... the
participating groups were Castle Arts, Cooltan
Arts, Creative Routes and Mental Fight
Club.
4.
TACT Ltd.
Having produced a number of promotional videos and a half hour film for TACT, UK specialists in learning disability, CTVT visited Athens with Bob Rhodes, TACT
former Chief Executive, with a view to developing hands on media training for users of TACT services in Greece.
Another international partner
for "Southwark.TV" is possible too.
5.
Somali Community Media Project
CTVT supports the Somali community in London
with consultancy and via Southwark.TV, assisting individuals
and small groups with project building.
A Somali pupil is making a film about khat addiction and preparing campaigning
literature. Two areas of Somalia,
Puntland and Somaliland, have devoted
former citizens seeking to raise funds
and make a difference. Community
TV Trust helps these campaigners where
it can. SOUTHWARK HOUR devoted an edition to
local Somalis and their experience of
life here in the UK. Community Channel created repeats for this programme around the time of the
2005 G8, in particular due to the increased focus on Africa in the media. Links have been forged with a lively group of young Somalis
at Lilian Baylis Technology School in
Vauxhall, and the school in turn became a member of Southwark.TV website project
for a few years.
We aim to support SOCFIA, a Lambeth
advice & information organisation,
to deliver a media project for local
young Somali people.
6.
St.Ives/West Cornwall
CTVT has run media training in West Cornwall, in Penzance, Camborne and St.Ives funded by Cornwall
Neighbourhoods for Change. CTVT
offers "St Ives.TV" [www.stives.tv] built exactly along the lines of
"Southwark.TV" though on a smaller basis. New partners welcome.
Email chris@stives.tv to find out more.
SINCERE THANKS are offered
to Clive Davies of Olswang and to DJFreeman, now trading no more, who stepped forward and gave Community TV Trust many hours of pro bono legal support as it negotiated its way to incorporation and charitable status.
Natasha Hobday, also a partner at
Olswang, lends us her support as
Clive Davies has moved
on.
Those at DJ Freeman deserving mention are Clive Davies, Melanie Laithwaite, James MacIntyre-Brown. Support was given by many others to whom thanks are due and offered.
Melanie also served tirelessly and
enthusiastically as Trustee for a number
of years.