June 15, 2005

To:             All Print and Broadcast Media

From:           Mid-Coast Television Channel 6
Constance Malach, President
connie@mctv.com
650-726-1750

For Immediate Release


Mid-Coast Television Channel 6 Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary

Mid-Coast Television, the Coastside's community access cable station, is celebrating
its 20th anniversary on June 24, 2005.  In 1985 MCTV aired its first program The
Coastside Junior Rodeo, and since then has operated with the help of a part-time
staff and many volunteers to provide the Coastside communities of Half Moon Bay, El
Granada, Princeton, Moss Beach, Montara, Pescadero and La Honda with video
programming of interest to a community that is otherwise largely overlooked by Bay
Area television media.  Conveniently located on Channel 6 on the Comcast cable
system, MCTV has produced over 4500 programs, including hundreds of original
programs, videotaped and aired thousands of hours of public meetings, and conducted
workshops to train members how to use the station's video equipment, including
camera techniques, video editing, and how to go "on the air" to play MCTV programs
to cable viewers.   MCTV also supports over 200 non-profit and government
organizations on the Coastside by providing them with free announcements on a 24 
hour a day message channel.

The Origins of Mid-Coast Television:

In 1982 a committee formed to begin the process of setting up a cable access station
on the Coastside, and spent over three years working with the community and the
local cable company (then Coastside Cable) to provide a budget, obtain a place for
the station and a studio, and set up the non-profit organization that would become 
MCTV.  The County of San Mateo and the City of Half Moon Bay both approved MCTV as
the official community access operator for their respective portions of the local
cable system.  With its 20th Anniversary on the air, MCTV is one of the oldest
continuously operating community access stations in California.

MCTV is supported by a portion of the cable franchise fees received by San Mateo
County and the City of Half Moon Bay, as well as community memberships, and local   
business sponsorships.  The non-profit organization is overseen by the MCTV Board of
Directors, which is comprised of representatives of San Mateo County, the City of 
Half Moon Bay, the Half Moon Bay Library, the Cabrillo Unified School District, and
7 at large community members who are elected by the MCTV members.

The station is operated by a part-time staff and trained volunteers who tape and
playback the programming shown on MCTV.   As a non-profit organization with limited 
financial resources, MCTV is volunteer-dependent, with community members
volunteering thousands of hours over the years to bring documentaries, creative   
programs, and government meetings to their audience.  Without the MCTV members who
have become trained volunteers, MCTV would not be able to provide its extensive   
level of programming.  Volunteers also provide the popular and wildly diverse
selection of background music for the MCTV message channel.

MCTV's Programming:

MCTV cablecasts over 1500 hours of community meeting programming each year.   These 
meetings have a large and loyal viewership, including senior citizens who cannot
always attend meetings late at night and other Coastsiders who find the programs a
convenient way to stay in touch with public affairs on the Coast.  In addition to  
taping the meetings of the Half Moon Bay City Council and the Mid-Coast Community
Council, MCTV regularly covers the public meetings of the following agencies:

Ø       Cabrillo Unified School District
Ø       Coastside County Water District
Ø       Granada Sanitary District
Ø       Montara Water & Sanitary District
Ø       San Mateo County Board of Supervisors

However, MCTV is not all about public meetings.  Since MCTV began video production
in 1985, it has compiled an invaluable video library which documents the diverse
people, events, and history of the Midcoast.   Here is just a partial list of what
can be found on these precious tapes:

Ø	Coastside events that have grown and changed over the years-like the Pumpkin
	Festival, the 4th of July Parade, and the Holy Ghost Festival-or events like the  
	Junior Rodeo that have passed into history;
Ø	Local productions like the walking tour of Main Street in the '80's and a
	documentary on the origins of historic El Granada;
Ø	Coastside performances of school plays, ballets, music nights,  and book
	readings;
Ø	Documentaries on the sport fishing to be found off of Pillar Point Harbor
	and epic tapes of early surfing on the Coastside, from Surfer's Beach to the first
	big years of surfing at Mavericks;
Ø	Special projects and colorful people spanning 20 years on the Coastside;

MCTV is part of the Coastside's high tech resources

MCTV has been a resource and springboard for fledgling communications students from
Half Moon Bay High School and local colleges.   After getting experience producing
programs and editing with MCTV several volunteer members have gone on to become
award-winning professional producers.  MCTV continues to provide opportunities for  
would-be media moguls because MCTV has technologically adapted and upgraded its   
equipment over the years.  MCTV produced its first programming on early "portable"
video cameras that weighed 15 pounds and recorded on ¾" videotape.  MCTV then joined
the VHS camcorder era which introduced many people to video.  Now, MCTV has
substantially upgraded its image and sound quality by switching to digital video
cameras the size of a large paperback book, and these high-tech wonders weigh far
less than the tripods they rest on.    MCTV now edits its original programming using
state-of-the-art, non-linear computer editing programs which permit almost unlimited
flexibility in mixing audio and video images and graphics.  MCTV has also created
its own website, where you can learn how to become an MCTV member, or find the MCTV
playback schedule.  For all this information and more, go to the MCTV website:
www.mctv.com

Phone: (650) 726-1750

Your comments are welcomed.