One of the important roles that KOCT plays in our North County community is to provide media exposure, real world experience and job opportunities for young people. There are many young people currently working in the commercial television and film world who got their start at KOCT.

El Camino High School Group with Sharon Stong

Oceanside High School Group with Frank Zimmerman

One of the services we provide for students, our community and the Oceanside Unified School District is our High School Spectrum series. KOCT staff work closely with the students at El Camino High and Oceanside High School to teach them how to use the cameras, switchers, audio and other tools to produce their own television programs. They provide the hosts and select their guests—such as the two new Principles for their high school’s. Frank Zimmerman, who teaches at Oceanside High and Sharon Strong, who teaches at El Camino High, enjoy the opportunity to have their students experience a professional television studio and learn the craft from KOCT’s professional staff. Many times these same students come back as college students or volunteers and help KOCT in our quest to produce programs for by and about our north county community.

Director Jade Yusi at the Controls

Floor Manager Jaycee Scheri and Summer Dominguez on Camera 1

Oceanside High School Student on Camera 2

Oceanside High School Spectrum Set

Oceanside High School Student on Wide Camera

If you know a college student seeking an internship with KOCT you can have them download this Internship Application.

Our High School Spectrum series is now being edited by the Oceanside and El Camino High School students and I’ll provide a link to the show, here in Community Connection when completed. I’m looking forward to finding out what’s happening at our two local high schools!

Host Robert Rasul and Guest Principal Pirayoff

Guest Jade Yusi with Hosts Devin Settles and Amalia Neil

On Set with Principal Bennett

Up…Up and Away!

KOCT’S camera crew took to the air last week to capture Hi-Definition video footage of Oceanside and North County sites.

Jacob Rush, KOCT Station Manager

Station Manager Jacob Rush was joined by videographer's Angela Wong and Addison Wolf on a beautiful but windy Friday evening flight. The crew is gathering aerial footage for a tourism video that is being funded by a Community Enhancement Grant from the County of San Diego. Additional funding has come from underwriters AT&T, Scripp's Health and the Oceanside/California Welcome Center.

Angela Wong, KOCT Videographer

The footage will also be made available to the Welcome Center to help promote tourism in Oceanside and North County. Look for this new video in June!

KOCT visits the Oceanside Boys & Girls Club

Peter Bonscher and Addison Wolf interview Jodi Diamond, CEO of the Oceanside Boys & Girls Club.

KOCT Producer Peter Bonscher and Videographer Addison Wolf recorded the first program in our new 3-part Arts & Culture series.

Addison Wolf, KOCT Videographer

This is funded by the City of Oceanside’s Arts Commission. The KOCT crew traveled to the Oceanside Boys & Girls Club to document their “Art of the Masters” program premiering in June.

 

North County Economic Summit now available as VOD!

In March, KOCT joined over 450 businessmen and women, elected officials and economic experts gathered for the 2nd Annual North County Economic Summit. The audience heard from a number of speakers and panelists about our National, State and San Diego Economies. This new series is now available as Video On Demand.

Watch it now by clicking here.

NAB Reflections by KOCT’s Chief Engineer Bill Peters. Video geeks look forward to April each year, not for the spring flowers but because that’s when the National Association of Broadcasters convention (NAB) comes to Las Vegas and all the latest and greatest video gear are on display.

In the old days, you could tell an NAB visitor because their knuckles would drag on the ground from carrying bags of swags around—now they just swipe your card and send you all their promotional material via e-mail. Our renaissance man-who-knows-everything, Chief Engineer Bill Peters and his wife Beverly made the annual journey to the desert and he jotted down these quick reflections:

The Las Vegas Convention Center is huge! I'm tired!

Lots of shoots being done in 4K.

Cameras getting smaller and better even as image quality gets better.

Finding the camera body not always easy.

Know your formats: SD, HD, Ultra HD, 2K, 4K, 8K,???

Think also about the actual pixel sizes of the image when resizing.

Increases in image resolution leads to increases in distribution channel bandwidth (obviously)•

Will the internet really prevail as the ultimate distribution channel?

Thanks Bill for your research, day to day professionalism and your willingness to risk encounters with Vegas Showgirl in order to help KOCT!

Earlier this year the City Council approved the awarding of art project funds to KOCT and five (5) other non-profit organizations. The Oceanside Arts Commission, consisting of 11 volunteers, had reviewed many grant applications before passing on their recommendations to the Council.

The mission of the Arts Commission is to foster the development of the performing, visual and cultural arts. The goal of KOCT’s successful grant application was to produce three programs about other successful grantees and share with our north county community our rich art culture and heritage. KOCT is thankful for the support of the Arts Commission and the City Council. KOCT will provide matching funds for this project to our City Council.

In the coming months you’ll see the KOCT camera crew at the following events:

·         The Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside’s Art of the Masters program

·         The First Friday Art Walk (May 1^st)

·         Oceanside Theatre Company’s Radio Program Series

KOCT’s objective is to share with a greater audience these short television and web programs that capture the creativity, excitement and content of our vibrant Oceanside arts community. We live in a busy, fast-paced environment and not everyone can get away from family, business and other obligations to participate and enjoy the arts. KOCT hopes to share and preserve these ‘art moments’ with a larger community and for a period of time longer than the event itself!  Donald Stump with North County Lifeline wrote in a supportive letter on behalf of KOCT: “…these programs highlight the many positive projects that take place in Oceanside and KOCT’s coverage helps to insure a larger audience for our non-profits, artists and musicians.”



KOCT camera crew at North County Lifeline mural creation for a previous "Arts & Culture" production.

Jennifer Lacy, the Board Chair of the Oceanside Charitable Foundation wrote: "We are fortunate to have such a responsive television station in Oceanside....their commitment to promoting Arts and Culture has been evident by their innovation and willingness to work with the community".

KOCT has covered the Arts in Oceanside since its inception. Here the late poet, writer and ‘artist’ Robert Nanninga & KOCT Executive Director Tom Reeser create a promo for a KOCT program about the very first ‘Days of Art’ in the late 1980’s.



The Kick Off Celebration for the new KOCT series The Adobes & Ranchos of North County was a big success. Over 50 people attended-- some from as far away as Orange County and Temecula. Also in attendance were many of the 'stars' who were interviewed in these historical documentaries.

KOCT wants to thank the Oceanside Library and staff (Sheri Noel and Brad Penner) for the great accommodations, Christine Loyola of Petite Madeline Bakery for some AMAZING cookies and Kristi Hawthorne who shared her love of history with the audience.

Kristi Hawthorne, President of the Oceanside Historical Society

Audience at The Adobes & Ranchos of North County Premiere

Attendees saw a highlight reel of the new 6-part historical series

Left to Right -Tom Reeser, Executive Producer "Adobes",  Lola Sherman,Scriptwriter and 

Co-Producer, Janene Possell Sheperd-Friend of KOCT

Miguel Blanco received a special award for his editing skills in the making of "Adobes"

"A Really Big Rancho - The Story of the Kelly Family" featured interviews with Susan Kelly and Marvin Sippel

KOCT has received a number of phone calls asking how to see this new series:

It will air every week at 7:00PM on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays on KOCT channel 19,  Cox Cable in Oceanside, county wide on AT&T's U-Verse (ch 99 and then surf to KOCT-ch 19). You can also watch it as video on demand via KOCT.ORG each week we'll release the latest episode—this week we are featuring:  “The Story of the Marron Family".

                

Here is the schedule for release of the 6 program series: 

Week of

2/24 - The Story of the Marron Family

3/03 - A Really Big Rancho - The Story of the Kelly Family

3/10 - The Story of Rancho Buena Vista Adobe

3/17 - The Story of Rancho Guajome Adobe

3/24 - The Story of Las Flores Adobe and the Santa Margarita Rancho

3/31 - The Story of Laura Marron Steiger & the John Steiger Family

       

You can also purchase a DVD. Each DVD has three (3) 30-minute programs: $25.00 for one or $45.00 for two (6 programs total). We will also be sending free copies to the Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad libraries and we will let you know when they are available for check out.

One final note: Even though this new series is available in high-definition there is even a higher resolution version you should check out: Go visit these historical sites with your family and friends. There's nothing like exploring the past in person and you could visit at least five of our local Adobes in one day! And if you watch one of KOCT's programs first you'll be able to impress your visitors with your vast knowledge of North County history.

Does your business have a favorite non-profit that you support? Do you donate, volunteer & help a non-profit with the good work they do in our community? KOCT has a great way for you to help that charitable organization, church or fraternal organization. Sign them up for KOCT’s Oceanside Spectrum—a 30-minute television show hosted by the amazing Elaine Swann. It’s free and a great way to share with our north county community upcoming events or the need for volunteers, donations or awareness.

If you live, work or go to school in Oceanside, you are invited to call the station at (760) 722-4433 to reserve a free five-minute interview. This is a very popular show so you’ll need to reserve your space well in advance of the event you wish to promote (45-60 days in advance!).

KOCT is so lucky to have a skilled host like Elaine Swann to interview your non-profit representative. Elaine has also been seen on the “Today Show, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX News” as a Social Media Commentator. Elaine is a special correspondent on San Diego’s NBC 7, has a syndicated column and offers workshops and seminars. Besides being on camera, Elaine is an Author, Speaker and Etiquette Consultant. She will make your guest feel comfortable if they are on camera for the first time and remember: Oceanside Spectrum airs numerous times throughout the month on KOCT’s channel 18 as well as on our website: KOCT.ORG. You can add a link to the program in your civic organizations newsletter, blog or e-mails and make sure your supporters see your publicity efforts.

Oceanside Spectrum is taped at KOCT’s Oceanside studios at 3038 Industry Street, Suite 101. KOCT is a nonprofit, non-commercial television station and Oceanside Spectrum is prohibited from advertising commercial events or businesses. To schedule an appearance on Oceanside Spectrum contact  Angela Miranda at  (760) 722-4433 or e-mail her at: amiranda@koct.org.

Thanks to San Diego U-T Reporter Linda Mcintosh for a great story about our Tuesday, February 24^th event to celebrate the launch of our new documentary series: “The Adobes & Ranchos of North County”! Hope you can attend and make sure to watch these programs on KOCT. We all love north county because of the waves, weather and environment—this new series will give you reasons to love north county for its rich history too.

KOCT turned 30 in 2014 and one of the great perks you’ll note this time of year is a bountiful mix of Christmas programs.

Peter Bonscher, KOCT’s Program Scheduler, has pulled some great classic KOCT programs from yesteryear that will get you in an Oceanside Christmas frame of mind—including music from the San Luis Rey Chorale, Oceanside Harbor Parade of Lights, North Coastal Symphony, La Hacienda Holiday, Carlsbad Library Hour Harmony Ringers and Radio Christmas Carol to name just a few. We’ll also replay a past Children’s Christmas Parade too:

Brian Graham, Jim Schroeder and Donald Sinatra

KOCT used to cover TWO major parades every year, the Fourth of July Parade (Freedom Days),  and the annual Children’s Christmas Parade. Due to budget cuts the last Children’s Christmas Parade was 12 years ago in 2002. I’m not a big parade fan but I’ve probably watched many more parades (and City Council meetings) than the average bear because of my great job at KOCT. One of the things I DID like about the Christmas Parade was the marching high school bands that the parade attracted. Few bands play for the Freedom Day Parade because of the summer vacation. However the Annual Children’s Christmas Parade always included high school marching bands and many spectators-parents and grandparents watching their teens marching in the parade.

Brian Graham & Jim Schroeder

We usually left the KOCT station in the dark to begin setting up for the parade and my crew wore festive Christmas Hats not only to celebrate the season—but to keep warm too. I miss this annual tradition but at least I still have the Freedom Day Parade (and City Council meetings) to enjoy.

November 1992 Voice with Mayor Larry Bagley

One final Christmas Reminder: You can warm yourself by the glow of your big screen television and our burning Yule Log both on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. And you can watch Classic Movies (my daughters called those black and white movies ‘the gray movies’) on Christmas day on KOCT’ Channel 18. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from KOCT!

KOCT mission, goal and purpose is to inform our north county community about people, places and events in north county. It was easier to do when television and traditional daily newspapers were the main source of news and information. But oh how times have changed! Todays residents now receive their entertainment and information from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, smart phones, I pads and the Internet, on a minute by minute information tsunami!

Fortunately KOCT is not alone in our quest to inform north county residents. KOCT is teaming up with other media professionals in north county so it is easier to watch KOCT’s many programs.

Today, for example, Osidenews.com added KOCT to its front page mast head to make it easy to see the latest KOCT News Brief. Steve Marcotte is the managing editor for this on-line newspaper and he is already registering 30,000 views per month!  Osidenews.com, in addition to up to the minute news coverage, provides human interest stories, business, sports, health and more.

I first heard about this new media resource when he added former KOCT Board member, Tom Morrow, as a regular columnist. Tom is well known throughout north county and his column was greatly missed by many readers after the demise of the North County Times. It is great to be in partnership again with old friend Tom Morrow and with new friend, Steve Marcotte and the Osidenews.com!

(Steve will be one of our guests in our new season of Journalist Roundtable on  January 8^th  2015-stay tuned)

Don’t forget that KOCT will air its numerous Election 2015 programs throughout the weekend on our Community Channel 18. Or you can grab your practice ballot and watch each Election program as Video On Demand and make your final decision about who you are going to vote for. And don’t forget you can watch these programs on your Smart Phone, Tablet or Computer.  

The only thing scarier than spending a weekend watching political candidates is the annual KOCT Halloween party! KOCT’s Jake Rush and Angela Miranda led our team of ghoulish zombies in decorating the studio for our Potluck Feast. Board member Liz Rhea and her husband George joined the fun (after Cowboy George helped Liz make a successful jail escape). There was a vote for the best costume and Angela Miranda and her Day of the Dead dress and make-up just beat out second place Zombie Jake Rush!

Looking forward to next weeks Election because there is a City Council meeting the next day. Will the incumbents win or the feisty candidate contenders? Watch KOCT channel 18 on election night for City Council and School Board results!! (Go to the City’s Website to see all the local race results) And turn to KOCT-Channel 19 Government channel on Wednesday, November 5^th from 4 pm on for LIVE City Council coverage! Or watch it by watching our Streaming Video service on your smart phone, pc or tablet.

Election Programming

KOCT has completed the recording & editing of all of its Election Programming!! All of this programming (13+ programs) will now be shown on KOCT’s Channel 18 community channel throughout the month of October. You can also view KOCT’s election programs as Video On Demand and watch on your smart phone while waiting in the DMV line.

KOCT has done its job and now it’s the task of each citizen to watch these programs and go to the polls as an informed and educated voter.

KOCT Fundraiser Reminder

Tickets are still available for KOCT’s FUNdraiser for both the 11:30 am and 1 pm seating’s on Thursday October 23^rd. Tickets are only $20 per adult and all proceeds benefit KOCT and our goal of producing more community television programs.

If you can’t attend but want to help KOCT AND our military families you can buy a ticket & we’ll provide a free lunch for local military families. Call 722-4433 for more information or stop by KOCT and buy your ticket TODAY.

PROPOSED COMCAST/TIMES WARNER CABLE MERGER OPPORTUNITY FOR PEG CHANNELS

The Federal Communications Commission is reviewing Comcast’s acquisition of Times Warner Cable. This is an opportunity to address concerns and problems that have resulted in the closing of hundreds of PEG channels like KOCT all across our nation. Access Humboldt and American Community Television have filed comments that ask, as a condition to any consent to the transfer, that the FCC should prohibit discrimination against PEG channels, ensure that PEG channels have the same features and functionality and same signal quality as that of local broadcasters channels. They should also require that PEG channels be easily accessed on menus and that PEG channels be available on the HD tiers. Many of these requirements are in the current PEG laws but are not being enforced. 

It is my opinion that cable companies make a self-fulfilling argument that is not in the public interest—On the one hand they claim not very many people watch community channels and on the other they do everything they can to discourage viewership! They refuse to put program information on their Program Guide, make it difficult or impossible to record with their DVR’s and ban PEG channels from the High Definition tiers-all actions that confuse consumers and ‘hide’ PEG channels. What they cannot do is argue that every one of their thousand channels is of more value to the consumer than programming for by and about their own customers communities. Shopping Channels Vs Election Programming?? No I’m not buying that argument.

Tom Reeser-Executive Director- KOCT Your Community Channels 

Did you know that September 24^th was proclaimed KOCT DAY by Mayor Jim Wood? KOCT was proud to have received this acknowledgment and proclamation in honor of KOCT’s 30^th Anniversary. Most of KOCT’s volunteer Board of Directors were able to attend the ceremony and KOCT Board Chairman, Liz Rhea, encouraged viewers and those in attendance to attend KOCT’s fundraiser on October 23^rd at the Outback Steakhouse in order for KOCT to be able to document and replay more community events.

KOCT is proud of the long-term relationship between KOCT and the Oceanside City Council and their staff.

In fact, as Executive Director Tom Reeser explained at the proclamation “KOCT began because of the encouragement by then Mayor Larry Bagley to form a non-profit corporation”. This was because at that time volunteers were working with city staff members and the founder of KOCT, Bob Bowditch, who began covering election forums some of which were being conducted by the employee unions. Mayor Bagley and Bob both recognized it would be best for the community for KOCT to be an independent corporation and history has proven that to be a wise decision. As the Mayor’s proclamation stated “WHEREAS, KOCT has produced and continues to produce more election programs then most television stations in all of San Diego County with the goal of providing important information about ballot initiatives and candidates, a critical service for voters considering the loss of local newspapers….”

SPEAKING of election programming….you’ll want to watch this Thursday’s Journalist Roundtable program the large field of candidates running for the Tri-City Medical Center Board of Directors will be featured in a special 90 minute program. The show airs ‘live’ at 6 pm.

Next week we’ll record our final election edition Voice of Oceanside with one-on-one interviews with candidates for the Oceanside City Council as well as the hospital board candidates.

ALL of these programs will run extensively throughout October and all of these programs can be seen as Video On Demand on KOCT.org.  You can even watch them on your Smart Phone or iPad.

Thank you to the Oceanside city council, Mayor Wood and city staff for their support, encouragement over the past 30 Years—and thank you to our many generations of viewers too!

Tune to KOCT - Channel 18, Thursday September 4th at 6 pm for a one-hour “live” Journalist Roundtable program. KOCT’s election season programming begins featuring a special Journalist Roundtable questioning Oceanside City Council Candidates. You’ll want to watch this special Journalist Roundtable and be an informed voter.

Our Guests will include:

Candidate Dana Corso, president of Alliance of Citizens To Improve Oceanside Neighborhoods (ACTION), says that she was a leading voice in speaking against Proposition E, which threatened to end rent control in mobile home parks.  She commented that as a councilwoman she will have a greater opportunity to serve the people and neighborhoods of Oceanside as a voice for the people that is currently absent in the City Council majority decision-making. 

          

                                           Dana Corso                                                 Gary Felien

Gary Felien, a current council member, is seeking re-election and he says he will continue to keep improving Oceanside. He says that as a result of his election in Nov 2010, a new council majority based on fiscal responsibility was formed and they immediately set to work to turn the city around from the dire straights the past majority had placed the city in. 

Candidate Chuck Lowery, an active Board Member of the Oceanside Charitable Foundation, says he wants to create jobs, and that he has the experience and expertise necessary to cultivate a thriving economic environment. According to comments he has made he will cut spending as he will fight tirelessly for balanced budgets. He said he cares deeply for the City of Oceanside and its residents.

          

                                       Chuck Lowery                                             Jerome Kern

Jerome Kern, an incumbent, is seeking re-election after a 6 year term. He indicates he has worked hard to bring positive change to Oceanside by championing issues that can make our city a better place to live, do business and enjoy our unique recreational opportunities.

Robert Tran is a first time candidate and an Oceanside native. He was born, raised and currently resides in Oceanside and said he is running for City Council to ensure that Oceanside continues to grow in all economic ownership sectors and that all taxpayers of Oceanside deserve a city that is fiscally responsible and is not in the hand of special interest groups or of personal interest. (Photo not available)

The host for Journalist Roundtable is veteran journalist Kent Davy and he will be joined on Columnist Logan Jenkins from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Currently the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering Comcast’s acquisition of Time Warner Cable. Public, Education and Government (PEG) advocates have submitted a number of comments they hope the FCC will consider before they allow for further consolidation of big media entities. For example, American Community Television believes this potential merger will put PEG TV stations at risk saying “We request that the FCC protect PEG access television by rejecting the proposed transaction or conditioning the proposed merger on curing the various problems we have outlined”—Example cited included loss of channels, PEG closures in many states, lack of programming guide description and charging governments to provide PEG programming.

Access Humboldt has also filed FCC comments and they suggest that if the transfer were to occur the FCC should prohibit discrimination against PEG channels and ensure that PEG channels have the same features and functionality and signal quality as they do for local broadcasters as well as requiring PEG channels to be distributed on the HD tiers.

KOCT is and has faced many of the issues cited above: Cox Cable & AT&T will not post our program schedule which makes recording KOCT programs via their DVR’s time consuming and complicated. And AT&T’s DVR won’t even record the PEG channels manually!

Over the past 20 years there have been more & more media  mergers and less requirements for public interest programming—this despite the fact that these communications giants use the public right of ways to conduct private business for a profit. It is not to much to ask that out of the thousands of channels they provide that they not only allow a few channels to be dedicated to the communities they do business in but to actually support those entities by treating them with the same level of support they do for the commercial channels. And in fact, according to grandfathered local franchises and the new state franchise they should already be doing so!

I am hopeful the FCC will not agree to the merger of these two communications giants without an agreement of better support for the many small community PEG channels across the country like KOCT-YOUR community channel. 

Our next few Community Connections will be Throw Back Editions because KOCT is celebrating 30 years of service to our north county community!

The entire community came out to the Oceanside band shell in 2001 to celebrate our local Little League teams Western Division Championship! They lost in the World Series even though it was later discovered the other team’s pitcher was older than allowed for a little league participant!!

Below the team answers questions from the audience and then KOCT Sports Announcer Tom Sheridan just prior to the ceremony by the Mayor and elected officials to honor our young sports heroes!

Brian Cook was our 2^nd Oceanside Spectrum host and was instrumental in promoting the show to the many non-profits and city departments to help promote their events. KOCT’s Executive Director, Tom Reeser, below presents Brian with the Beacon Award for ‘shining light on our community’ with his many years of dedicated volunteer service to our community. 

Brian was also the originator of the annual ‘Sock Drive’ for Brother Bennos. Below, (with the KOCT production team) are the founders of Brother Bennos, Harold and Kay Kutler along with Voice Host Bill Fritsche and the late Dick Goodman who was the Director of Housing for the City of Oceanside for many years. This was in 1992.

The Good News and the Bad News About Public Access TV

On the completely great side, the California Legislature passed AJR 39, a joint resolution from California's State Government asking the federal government to please fix the clause in the 1984 Cable Act that restricts much public funding of cable access channels to capital only without operational support. This clause, which is supported by virtually no one, has contributed to the closure of community media centers across the state of California.

On the less wonderful side, a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) rulemaking process on cable franchise renewals appears to be taking the path of least resistance under the leadership of Commissioner Peevey, and endorsing a rubberstamp process that ignores service level to the community and complaints received during the cable service renewal process. Media Alliance's latest set of (somewhat futile) reply comments can be found here.

More news in support of PEG channels like KOCT:

And recently, at the 82^nd Annual Meeting of the United States Conference of Mayors, a resolution was made calling for the restructuring of the 1984 Cable Act. The resolution, which was passed unanimously, encourages the U. S. Congress to amend federal legislation pertaining to community access television stations. These stations like KOCT, currently receive Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) fees. However, PEG funds. must only be used for capital improvements. The resolution calls for allowing those funds to be used for operation costs as well.

With the support of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, KOCT urges the U.S. Congress to make the minor legislative changes that will allow PEG fees to be used for the operations of our community access television station. The resolution supports the power of public access stations. Community television channels provide transparency and access for local governments with their residents and business owners by broadcasting City Council and hospital  meetings, voter information for local elections, topical talk shows on local issues and topics and other events like the recent Independence  parade. 

What could be more joyous than to live in Oceanside during the summer months?  The waves have been great and the water warm. A great way to share the joy of Oceanside and summer is by watching, sharing and enjoying Video On Demand available on KOCT.ORG.

Last summer the Parks and Recreation Department put on a great summer concert: The Surfaris Concert—If you have to work but want to also enjoy great classic surf music here what you do, click below and listen while working on that Spreadsheet and thinking about this upcoming weekend.

http://koct.org/video/detail/the_surfaris_concert

Oceanside is blessed with a number of great surf spots, white sandy beaches and residents who love water sports and the beach lifestyle. This year we seem to have mostly missed the MayGray & JuneGloom but as you’ll see from this 1999 Long Board Contest we are not always so lucky. However there was a strong swell for this 15^th Annual contest and this program features Kahuna Bob as host, Chris Ahrens as announcer and some great nose rides by Dale Dobson:

http://koct.org/video/detail/15th_annual_longboard_contest_1999

In 2000 the Long Board Contest had Waves & Sunshine :

http://koct.org/video/detail/16th_annual_longboard_contest_2000

The City of Oceanside is also blessed with many residents from the South Pacific. KOCT’s talented crew and Mobile Studio captured many of the large Sister City and Samoan Celebrations at the band shell going all the way back to when Mayor Larry Bagley would greet and participate in the Kava Ceremony with the elders of the Samoan Community. Click here to enjoy the 1992 Samoan Day Celebration:

http://koct.org/video/detail/samoan_day_celebration

At KOCT’s recent Open House we met parents and teenagers interested in KOCT and our Internship program.  Many of our local schools, such as Rancho Buena Vista, have excellent student internship programs and KOCT has trained many of their students and utilized their skills to produce community programming.

KOCT continues to produce a wide variety of programs—documentaries and topical talk shows such as North County Talks: Faith & the Common Good. The program is hosted by the Pastor of North Coast United Methodist Church, Pastor TS Harris. They have tackled many challenging and topical subjects such as the Minimum Wage, Human Slavery and Affordable Housing. Check out their most recent show.

I would also like to announce a new KOCT partnership with another local media resource, The Coast News.  Now, in every addition of this weekly newspaper  you can find a weekly listing of KOCT latest programs and the date and time they will be airing. Thank you to Chris Kidd, the Advertising Manager and Associate Publisher for the Coast News Group for his support of KOCT.  The Coast News is also expanding and starting this month they will be publishing an inland addition of their popular newspaper. KOCT wishes them well in their new endeavor. We also appreciate that The Coast News Managing Editor, Tony Cabala, has been offering his expertise as one of the journalists on our popular Journalist Roundtable program.