Lockport's Community TV

As featured in a recent edition of the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, the people who have signed up to have their own television show seem to have something to say.

Bartoo, 74, wrote and directed a play at the Studio Arena Theatre that was produced for the Vietnam Veterans Convention in 1969.

“I want to do technical work and haven’t got the background,” said Bartoo, who signed up for four classes. He wants to be able to do the editing for putting stage plays on video.

“I’ve got a lot of ideas for making a TV program eventually, but I don’t know anything technical. I hope to be producing eventually, with some of the ideas I’ve got.”

The Faith Community Nazarene Church in Sanborn put a group together to learn production procedures. “We want to get something going in the church for film worship service and Bible study,” said Gary Kephart. “We’re all going to take all the classes.”

Charlene Kephart, Tim Filer and Forrest Milligan have no background in TV production work. Filer, a machinist welder, said, “It’s a new experience. We’re pretty much greenhorns here.”

The group hopes to put together programs for the Alcohol Victorious meetings on Thursday nights.

Debrah Cole of Lockport has some experience working with Brian Dana’s cable show “Green Room.” Cole is the president of the Amherst Players and has her own company, Those Working Actors.

“I have an idea for my own show,” she said at orientation. “I love the station. It’s a lovely resource for the community.”

-LUS&J, May 25, 2008

The mere fact of their newspaper's name (which I'm assuming is the result of multiple mergers of their local newspapers) might have resulted in fewer avenues for expression in the past. For now, however, regular everyday citizens are able to share their view of life, in a forum that's accessible and public, in Lockport, New York.

(The name of the newspaper is even more convoluted than I'd imagined, by the way.)