PANDA TV23 - Program Statement, November 5, 2007

PANDA TV 23 is committed airing and helping to develop a variety of programs designed to serve all interested viewers in the Northern Dutchess community. PANDA will continue to air government meetings from all 5 Northern Dutchess Municipalities, and will also continue to air programs produced and submitted by Northern Dutchess residents. But PANDA will also now seek to initiate broadcasts and programs that reflect the interests of the community. The first example of this occurred on Oct 30, 2007, when PANDA collaborated with the Red Hook High School to stage a 3 camera recording of the Red Hook election debates, featuring 12 candidates and moderated by the Red Hook Chamber of Commerce. All the cameras and even the switching or editing of shots were done by High School students under PANDA supervision.

In the upcoming months, we will help to facilitate original programs most often devised by community members in which they will play critical roles. Some examples:
• Teaching parents the new math so that they can finally help their kids with their math homework.
• A series of shows on locally grown products featuring local farmers and co-ops, Farmer’s Markets, retailers, restaurant cooks and home cooking
• A series of oral histories – personal accounts of growing up and living in our towns and villages
• Readings of children’s stories from the village libraries
• A PANDA SportsCenter, covering regional sporting events and produced by Red Hook and Rhinebeck students
• Up close interviews with noted writers, film makers, artists, teachers, and musicians living in our area
• A series of programs devoted to the preservations, history and enjoyment of the Hudson River

It takes time and also acquiring the proper equipment to make such programs happen. In the interim, we will help to fill unnecessary dead air time with programs acquired from outside sources that are rights free and no cost to PANDA. Many of the first round of shows were produced by CUNY TV, the educational network of City University. As we help fill the air with such acquired programs, we will work to see our original programming evolve to the point where Northern Dutchess viewers of all ages and mind sets will have an opportunity to watch a dynamic network that meets many of their needs and interests, while eliciting their direct participation, either from behind or in front of the camera. To degree that the community is inspired to join in the process of making such programs, the sky is the limit for all of us.