FEATURED BLOG: CMAP Searches for New TV Studio and Training Center

After 10 years of incubating in the fertile soil of Gavilan College, three unique digital media programs--GavTV, Community Media Access Partnership TV and -- are thriving and growing. Now, nearly root bound, it's time to consider a new pot for the largest of the plants.

CMAP TV, which serves more than 500 youth annually, has developed into a hands-on 21st century multimedia job-training center for youth and adults. The media program is bursting at the seams with new volunteers, youth programs and community programming, meaning it's time to begin the search for a new place to grow, now.

GavTV has developed into a media-learning laboratory for students seeking degrees and certificates in media arts and broadcast television, and also serves as a place for staff and faculty to create educational content. Students can earn an associate degree in theater arts television performance or media arts broadcast television, as well as acquire certificates in television performance or broadcast television.

The Gavilan College Digital Media program offers numerous degrees and certificates with options in digital art and imaging, digital audio/video, interactive media and authoring, digital imaging/graphics production and digital print production.

Gavilan College has now completed all mandated renovations on the campus, and some of the programs that have been housed in portable buildings must now be moved into permanent spaces.

The success of all the new programs created during the past decade, including the Dr. TJ Owens Gilroy Early College Academy, CMAP, the digital media program, and GavTV, make the space crunch critical.

Channel 18, currently the full time, higher-education channel where GavTV started, will soon be transitioning. GavTV productions, such as Good Morning Gavilan, Gavazine and Let's Ask Alice, will still be available on CMAP's public access channel 20 and educational channel 19, as well as online.

Viewers will begin to see changes in the schedule over the next year as new programming is brought in for Channel 18.The theme of the new programming is still being determined, but discussions are in the works with K-12 educators in the region.

"CMAP is grateful for the organizational incubation offered by Gavilan College over the past 10 years," said Kathy Bisbee, the executive director of CMAP. "We will continue to provide job training programs for youth and adults, offer unique, locally-produced programming and provide free community access to the media on our four local cable channels."

During this transition period, GavTV and CMAP will be sharing office space at Gavilan College. Bisbee indicated that the organization is currently looking for space closer to the communities of Gilroy, Hollister and San Juan Bautista, indicating that potential partnerships with local K-12 education centers are being explored.

CMAP's local media programs can be viewed on Charter channels 17, 18, 19 and 20. Viewers can also see the channels online at www.cmap.tv.