Access Humboldt

The Open Media Globe
Submitted by accesshumboldt on Mon, 08/03/2009 - 13:36
Contact Information
Individual Applicant Name: 
Sean McLaughlin
About the Center
1. Does your organization currently have a public computer center?: 
No
2. What is the goal of your public computer center? If it currently is not set up do you have organizational capacity for one?: 
Our goal is to establish a public computer center that provides a means for local voices to be heard through community media. We are currently developing a community media center and have access to the high school's computer labs - and beyond media production training, we will be teaching computer/media literacy as part of our operation as well.
3. What percentage of content submitted to your station is posted online?: 
100
4. Will your organization's public computer center be available to all members of the general public or a specific population?: 
The Digital Redwoods Computer Network will be available to all members of the general public, with priority access for least served populations. Our Vision of Success: Access Humboldt is an innovative, self-sustaining and trusted media resource for residents of Humboldt County. Diverse community members utilize local access media resources to engage in meaningful conversations that increase participation in civic life.
5. Do you charge membership dues or other fees to the population you are proposing to serve?: 
Yes
6. What is the disabilities status for members in your area? Check all that apply.: 
A condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting or carrying.
A physical, mental or emotional condition lasting 6 months or more.
Center Capacity
7. For the following questions regarding your center's capacity, are the values current or proposed?: 
Proposed
Public computer center name and type.: 
Digital Redwoods Computer Network
How many broadband-related equipment units (e.g. computers, wireless devices) have you/do you intend to purchase overall?: 
30
Center's Broadband Connection Speed (MBps): 
5
Number of Persons served per 120-hour business week?: 
125
Number of Persons served per 48-hour weekend?: 
30
Center Demographic Information
8. What is the estimated population size of your service area?: 
129000
9. What is your service area identifier?: 
Humboldt County California
10. What age distribution(s) will your center serve?: 
5 to 19 years
20 to 29 years
29 to 39 years
40 to 49 years
50 to 59 years
60 to 69 years
70 and above
11. What ethnicity(s) will your center serve?: 
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black
Non-Hispanic American Indian
Non-Hispanic Asian
Non-Hispanic Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Non-Hispanic Other
12. What gender(s) will your center serve?: 
Male
Female
13. What is the median household income for the population your center will serve?: 
$35,000 - $44,999
14. What education levels will your center serve?: 
Elementary - Kindergarten to Grade 5
Middle - Grade 6 to Grade 8
Secondary - Grade 8 to Grade 12
College
Masters
Doctorate/Post-Doctorate
15. What is the unemployment rate for your service area?: 
11
16. What describes the language preference of your service area?: 
English - Primary
17. Please describe your center's outreach strategy and how can you reach communities lacking broadband access. : 
Access Humboldt's strategic plan, adopted in 2008 includes: Outreach & Advocacy - Ensure outreach to all geographic areas and diverse communities - Encourage more participation in creating local media - Represent local interests in broadband and media regulation - Improve understanding of public policy issues for community media Goal I. Access Humboldt will reach all geographic areas & diverse communities Strategies: 1. Invite participation and offer memberships to anyone in the community 2. Communicate and promote programming opportunities 3. Work with local cultural groups to help record local event coverage 4. Gather community feedback - including viewers and producers To meet this goal, we are using local cable TV channels and collaborating with other community anchor institutions, such as Redwoods Community College District, County Libraries and others.
18. If you provide a computer checkout or giveaway program, how many users do you expect to provide equipment or computers?: 
We will be loaning laptop (netbook) computers to support media production, archiving, live video transmissions and on-demand access to local communications and media content.
19. How will you measure the program's impact in reaching disconnected communities and increase broadband adoption?: 
Data will be gathered to measure use of public computers and also to quantify user access at each wireless node.
20. Please describe your primary training and educational programs, including curricula, student certification programs, etc.: 
Since last year, we're providing training and classes through collaborations with local adult school, community college and our Humboldt Film and Digital Media Commission. These training efforts include a Digital Pathways course on digital media (TV) production - including Final Cut Pro and related professional applications. Access Humboldt will be further developing and expanding these programs in Fall of 2009 with the opening of the new Community Media Center which will provide studio production facilities to complement existing field production assets.
Other Information
21. Is there evidence that less than 40% of your service population has broadband web access?: 
Yes
22. How will your center provide a $10,000 match of funds?: 
We have allocated funds to provide multiple digital playback servers, increased RAID storage and increased internet connection speeds and to hire p/t webmaster. These purchases are approved with funds available - and we will allocate the additional resources necessary to retain webmaster/Drupal progamming support.
23. Does your center currently have an online component or plans for an online component?: 
Yes
24. How do you plan to maintain a public computer center?: 
Digital Redwoods computer center will be maintained as part of our ongoing community media operations which provide broadband media access resources, including facilities and services available to the public, education and government sectors.
25. How do you plan maintain a website for your station or for the public computer center?: 
Staff time and training will be dedicated to develop and maintain website and online resources.
26. Are you interested in enabling your community to directly schedule any portion of your programming schedule?: 
Yes
27. Are you interested in sharing content with other public access TV stations?: 
Yes
28. How many total new home subscribers (households) to broadband do you expect to generate over the entirety of the program?: 
We anticipate that five hundred households will be inspired to connect to broadband services.
29. How many total new business and/or institutional subscribers to broadband do you expect to generate?: 
We anticipate that fifty new business/institutional subscribers will be connect to broadband services as a result of our efforts.