MC SPORTS LAUNCHES TONIGHT - The Bigger Picture

Tonight the Media Center, your Community TV Station, is hosting an open house from 7-9 pm to kick off its youth-driven, you-led community sports coverage program.  The plan is to train middle and high schoolers in our community to cover sporting events at area schools and to use the MC mobile production truck to videotape entire games.  The Media Center is located at 900 San Antonio Road (near 101) and is a non-profit community cable access TV station that operates 5 channels, serving the communities of Athetron, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Palo Alto and Stanford.

Kirsten Baird, Ethan Cohen, Trevor "The Voice"
Felch and Wes Rapaport in the MC Control Room

I am not running the sports program, at the Media Center but I love this concept so I just gotta share my enthusiasm for it.  We get local kids doing the work with training by video pros and the Media Center scores local sports programs to run on its channels.  Brilliant!   This effort is being spear-headed by veteran videographer Chuck Alley who founded Y-Ball.  For the launch and the program, Chuck has recruited students Kirsten Baird of Gunn and Ethan Cohen of Paly, plus former student (the "voice" of Gunn sports while he wasthere) Trevor Felch, and the amazing Wes Rapaport,  MC veteran and Paly grad, back from college for the summer.  Chuck is still looking for a youth leader to step forward from Menlo Atherton High School and any other area high schools, private, public or charter.

MC Sports wants  to connect with interested students, sports boosters, athletes, parents, schools and organizations.   Students will not have to pay for training and schools will not have to pay for coverage, which is why MC Sports also must connect with individual donors and sponsors.  Local businesses like Howie's Artisan Pizza and the Palo Alto Cafe are contributing refreshments for tonight's event!

We do such amazing things on a regular basis at the Media Center and then I brag about that.  I know I must sound like a huckster peddling the latest cure-all.  But that's just it, the Media Center can be a cure-all for folks that haven't found the way they want to contribute themselves to a cause, or who need to get out of the house and out into the world.  The Media Center could just be what you or your friend is looking for.  A way to make a difference by building video skills.  No barrier to entry here.  And if video or sports isn't your bag, there are other ways to get involved.

We are non-partisan and try to stay out of big fights over politics, religion, etc.  The very nature of our "business" does require we take one stand - to protect everyone's right to speak their mind.  But we go beyond mere belief.   We promote free speech every day!  That's my job, isn't that amazing?

So what does all the sudden gear change into the topic of free speech have to do with the Sports Program? MC Sports aims to engage young people and give them skills to create an entire new program -  using their voices, and having them set the priorities.  This is great training for their maturing into adults who will have these important media skills and know how to use them.   When it is their turn to lead and to take a stand in their communities, they will be prepared!


MC SPORTS OPEN HOUSE
MONDAY JUNE 25
7-9 pm
900 San Antonio Road (near 101)
Palo Alto
All our welcome!