Responding to the challenges of the digital future, AmherstMedia.org commissioned a communication needs assessment of its users, seeking broader community input and participation in ongoing efforts to strengthen its services in the digital transition. This report summarizes the findings of the research that took place between April and November 2011, and involved a general survey, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews with users of Amherst Media’s facilities and training services, and viewers of video content distributed through local cable channels, and the Web.

1. o
Access
360
Building
engaged
communities
in
a
digital
age
AMHERSTMEDIA .ORG

2.
By
Martha
Fuentes
Bautista,
Ph.D.,
with
assistance
from
Verity
Norman
and
Diana
Coryat.
National
Center
of
Digital
Government,
UMass
Amherst
Amherst,
Massachusetts
The
author
wants
to
express
her
gratitude
to
Amherst
Media’s
user
community,
staff,
board
members,
and
the
Town
of
Amherst
for
their
participation
in
and
support
to
this
study.
This
work
is
licensed
under
the
Creative
Commons
Attribution-­‐NonCommercial-­‐
ShareAlike
3.0
Unported
License.
To
view
a
copy
of
this
license,
visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-­‐nc-­‐sa/3.0/.

3.
AMHERSTMEDIA .ORG
In
recent
years,
broadband
and
digital
media
technologies
have
renewed
opportunities
to
produce,
distribute
and
exchange
information
and
culture.
However,
according
to
the
FCC’s
groundbreaking
report
on
“The
Information
Needs
of
Communities”
(2010),
localities
around
the
country
now
face
new
challenges,
more
prominently,
a
shortage
of
locally
relevant
information
and
news,
less
accountability,
and
diminished
local
capacities
to
generate
content
that
meets
these
needs.
In
2008,
after
more
than
three
decades
of
operation,
Amherst
Media
revamped
its
services
to
expand
digital
media
training,
citizen
productions
and
online
distribution
of
digital
media
content
to
serve
public,
educational,
and
government
information
needs
of
our
community.
In
the
last
four
years,
and
with
continuous
support
of
the
Town
of
Amherst
and
local
residents,
we
have
reorganized
our
operations
to
become
a
Digital
Community
Access
Center.
This
process
has
entailed
digitizing
and
retooling
the
equipment,
developing
new
training
services,
upgrading
online
distribution
of
our
programs,
reorganizing
staff
positions
to
fulfill
new
functions,
rebranding
our
organization,
and
becoming
an
Apple
Authorized
Training
Center.
Seeking
broader
citizen
input
and
participation
in
this
process
of
change,
Amherst
Media
commissioned
an
evaluation
of
its
services.
We
wanted
to
better
understand
who
was
using
or
not
using
our
services;
how
our
programs
and
services
meet
information
needs
of
local
residents;
and
what
they
would
like
to
see
improved.
We
are
pleased
to
present
the
results
of
this
process
of
public
consultation
that
engaged
more
than
200
users
of
our
services
through
surveys,
focus
group
discussions
and
individual
interviews.
Amherst
Media
would
like
to
thanks
Dr.
Martha
Fuentes-­‐Bautista,
faculty
of
Communication
and
Public
Policy
at
UMass
Amherst,
and
her
team
for
designing
the
research,
and
leading
the
consultation
process.
Findings
of
the
evaluation
have
been
both
encouraging
and
surprising,
identifying
practical
ways
to
improve
our
services.
For
instance,
we
found
that
the
majority
of
our
users
not
only
watch
our
programs
on
cable
channels
and
online
but
also
make
intensive
use
of
our
facilities
for
various
activities.
They
include:
video
production
and
software
development;
access
to
state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art
digital
equipment
and
broadband
services;
vocational
training,
educational
and
career
projects;
and
variety
of
community
events
and
social
gatherings.
The
public
expresses
great
approval
for
the
changes
implemented
so
far.
However,
users
would
like
to
see
more
media
training
classes,
and
expanded
outreach
to
local
youth
and
students
of
the
Five
Colleges,
senior
citizens,
and
members
of
low-­‐income
neighborhoods
in
the
greater
Amherst.

4. This
evaluation
also
reveals
that
in
fact
Amherst
Media
functions
as
a
regional
access
resource
for
communities
of
Western
Mass.
Forty
percent
of
participants
in
the
study
are
residents
of
up
to
17
communities
throughout
the
region.
Some
of
them
watch
our
programs
online,
and
drive
long
distance
to
use
our
services.
They
greatly
appreciate
and
contribute
to
the
creative
culture
and
economy
of
Amherst.
The
survey
finds
that
75%
of
our
users
have
used
our
website
to
watch
programs,
check
community
information,
register
in
media
training
classes,
or
do
other
transaction
with
the
center.
They
consider
http://amherstmedia.org
a
great
community
resource
but
would
like
to
see
better
archiving
practices,
so
content
can
be
more
easily
located.
Users
also
watch
the
local
Government
Channel
(Ch
17)
frequently,
and
as
they
explain
it,
its
transmissions
add
transparency
and
openness
to
our
local
government.
However,
they
would
like
to
see
citizen
news
segments
developed,
and
more
dynamic
coverage
of
local
public
affairs.
They
recommend
developing
partnerships
with
local
newspapers
and
other
access
centers
in
the
region
to
increase
the
circulation
of
locally
relevant
information.
Findings
and
recommendations
of
this
report
will
inform
our
strategic
planning
as
we
continue
our
work
to
alleviate
any
sign
of
“digital
divides”
and
“participation
gaps”
in
the
Town
of
Amherst.
We
also
invite
other
media
access
centers
to
use
the
template
developed
by
Dr.
Fuentes-­‐Bautista,
and
consider
expanding
the
framework
to
gather
data
about
community
access
users
and
operations.
Access
users
can
not
only
help
us
to
improve
our
work
but
also
inform
and
lead
local,
state
and
national
advocacy
for
the
work
of
community
media.
Jim
Lescault
Executive
Director
Amherst
Media
Amherst Media is a dynamic, community driven, non-profit, public access, information, communication & technology center.
AmherstMedia.org 246 College Street Amherst MA 01002 (413) 259-3300

5. Table
of
Contents
I.
Introduction
……………………………………………………………………………………
1
II.
Media
Localism
2.0
……………………………………………………………………….
2
III.
Mapping
Amherst
Media
Publics
………………………………………………….
7
1. Users’
socio-­‐demographics
……………………………………………………
8
2. Amherst
Media
as
a
Regional
Community
Access
Resource
….
9
3. Uses
of
Media
Technologies
and
Exposure
to
Video
Content
..
10
4. Awareness
of
Amherst
Media
Services
………………………………….
13
IV.
Amherst
Media
and
the
Local
Information
Ecosystem
……………………
15
1. Different
Forms
of
Public
Involvement
in
Amherst
Media
……..
15
2. Amherst
Media
as
Community
Infrastructure
………………………..
18
3. Amherst
Media
and
the
Creation
of
Local
Skills
and
Capacities
..
22
4. Amherst
Media
and
the
Availability
of
Local
Media
Content
……
27
V.
Recommendations
………………………………………………………………………..
37
Appendix
A:
Public
Comments
…………………………………………………………..
39
Appendix
B:
Survey
Protocol
……………………………………………………………..
45

6. I.
Introduction
In
the
last
two
years,
results
of
studies
and
public
inquiries
on
the
future
of
media
in
the
U.S.
indicate
that
amidst
the
communication
renaissance
enabled
by
broadband
and
digital
technologies,
citizens
are
facing
serious
challenges
to
take
advantage
of
this
opportunity
for
increased
sustainability
of
and
participation
in
their
local
communities.
On
the
one
hand,
abundance
of
digital
platforms
and
media
outlets
has
not
translated
into
more
reporting,
accountability,
and
information
about
local
issues,1
leaving
localities
uninformed
about
everyday
problems
that
affect
them.
On
the
other
hand,
media
and
broadband
providers
unevenly
serve
local
communities.
The
compound
effect
of
broadband,
information
and
literacy
gaps
threatens
to
widen
the
“participatory
gap,”2
undermining
the
capacity
of
underserved
populations
to
engage
in
community
life
and
local
governance.
Responding
to
the
challenges
of
the
digital
future,
Amherst
Media
(AM)
commissioned
a
communication
needs
assessment
of
its
users,
seeking
broader
community
input
and
participation
in
ongoing
efforts
to
strengthen
its
services
in
the
digital
transition.
This
report
summarizes
the
findings
of
the
research
that
took
place
between
April
and
November
2011,
and
involved
a
general
survey
(N=
191),
focus
group
discussions
(n=55),
and
in-­‐depth
interviews
(n=10)
with
users
of
Amherst
Media’s
facilities
and
training
services,
and
viewers
of
video
content
distributed
through
local
cable
channels,
and
the
Web.
More
specifically,
this
report:
(1)
identifies
characteristics
of
local
publics
served
by
Amherst
Media;
(2)
describes
different
forms
of
public
involvement
with
Amherst
Media;
and
(3)
explores
Amherst
Media’s
contribution
to
the
local
information
ecosystem,
taking
into
account
users’
preferences,
and
the
value
of
Amherst
Media
services
vis-­‐
à-­‐vis
other
media
offerings
and
communication
services
available
in
the
region.
Each
section
concludes
with
a
summary
of
key
points
and
areas
where
more
attention
and
action
are
needed
to
better
serve
the
local
community.
1
Waldman,
S.
(June
2011)
“The
Information
Needs
of
Communities:
The
changing
media
landscape
in
a
broadband
age”
Washington
D.C.,
The
Federal
Communications
Commission
(FCC).
2
Knight
Commission
on
the
Information
Needs
of
Communities
in
a
Democracy
(October
2009)
“Informing
Communities:
Sustaining
Democracy
in
the
Digital
Age.”
Washington,
D.C.:
The
Aspen
Institute.
1

7. II.
Media
Localism
2.0
Media
localism
policies
in
the
U.S.
have
been
conceived
as
a
means
to
support
liberal
democratic
objectives
of
enhanced
political
participation,
the
existence
of
a
better-­‐
informed
citizenry,
and
decentralized
decision-­‐making.
Even
before
the
Internet,
PEG
Public-­‐Educational-­‐Government
(PEG)
access
centers
supported
media
localism
by
enabling
direct
participation
of
local
publics,
educational
institutions
(i.e.
schools,
high-­‐
schools
and
community
colleges),
and
municipalities
in
the
production
of
video
projects
distributed
through
local
cable
channels.
Amherst
Media
was
a
pioneer
of
this
movement,
serving
the
Amherst
community
since
1976.
Nowadays
there
are
approximately
5,000
centers
unevenly
distributed
in
the
nation
The
majority
of
these
projects
are
funded
with
revenues
from
municipal
franchise
agreements
with
cable
operators.
However,
since
2005,
many
states
seeking
to
deregulate
the
emerging
multi-­‐
channel
video
programming
distribution
(MVPD)
market
have
assumed
this
function,
and
municipalities
have
scaled
down
or
closed
PEG
operations.
According
to
recent
estimates,3
one
hundred
communities
across
the
country
closed
their
access
centers
between
2005
and
2010.
The
majority
of
these
closures
(93%)
affected
public
channels
that
distributed
local
content
produced
by
community
residents.
Policy
analysts
and
scholars
have
paid
more
attention
to
community
media
in
the
recent
years.
Contributions
by
Buckley,
Howley
or
Fuller
document
the
multi-­‐faceted
character
and
social
benefits
of
community
media.4
Some
authors
highlight
the
correspondence
between
community
media
and
the
traditions
associated
with
public
service
broadcasting
and
development
communication.
Others
examine
the
relationship
between
alternative,
independent
and
community
media
and
their
audiences—a
line
of
inquiry
that
emphasizes
community
building
and
organizing.
According
to
Carpentier,
Lie
and
Servaes5,
the
first
vision
emphasizes
how
community
media
serve
the
information
needs
of
local
residents,
whereas
the
second
sees
them
as
an
expression
and
integral
component
of
local
communities.
Seeking
to
continue
their
historical
mission
in
the
new
media
environment,
Amherst
Media
and
many
other
access
centers
around
the
nation
are
struggling
to
find
their
place
in
this
constantly
changing
landscape.
They
may
have
evolved
from
one
approach
to
another
in
dialogue
and
adjusting
to
the
environment
in
which
they
are
operating.
At
an
operational
level,
they
have
upgraded
their
systems
and
workflow
to
incorporate
3
Buske
Group
(April
8,
2011)
“Analysis
of
recent
PEG
access
center
closures,
funding
cutbacks
and
related
threats.”
A
report
prepared
for
the
Alliance
of
Communications
Democracy.
4
Buckley,
Steve
(ed.)
(2012)
Community
Media:
A
good
practice
handbook.
Paris:
UNESCO;
Howley,
Kevin
(ed.)
(2010)
Understanding
community
media.
London
et
al.:
Sage;
Fuller
Linda
(ed.)
(2012)
The
Power
of
Global
Community
Media.
New
York:
Palgrave
MacMillan.
5
Carpentier,
N.,
Lie,
R.
and
Servaes,
J.
(2003),
“Community
media
:
Muting
the
democratic
media
discourse?”,
Continuum.
Journal
of
Media
&
Cultural
Studies,
(17)
1,
pp.
51-­‐68.
2

8. digital
technologies,
and
distribute
video
content
online
and
across
different
media
platforms.
However,
questions
remain
among
practitioners,
policy-­‐makers
and
the
public
about
how
the
use
of
these
technologies
can
meet
the
information
needs
of
local
communities
in
an
ever-­‐changing
media
landscape.
In
the
past,
policy
discussions
on
access
to
media
have
tended
to
focus
on
technological
platforms
in
isolation,
ignoring
how
a
particular
medium
is
appropriated
and
integrated
in
the
information
environment
of
different
user
communities.
Assessing
the
challenges
of
digital
technologies
for
American
democracy,
the
Knight
Commission
on
the
Information
Needs
of
Communities
in
a
Democracy6
has
proposed
to
replace
this
vision
with
a
user-­‐centered,
ecological
approach
that
takes
into
account
how
citizens,
local
governments,
public
and
media
institutions
interact
in
strengthening
three
main
components
of
a
healthy
community
information
ecosystem
(Graph
1):
a)
communication
infrastructure
that
supports
the
delivery
and
flow
of
information
in
a
community;
b)
individual
and
institutional
skills
or
capacities
to
find,
create,
and
exchange
information
relevant
for
their
communities;
and
c)
the
availability
of
public
affairs
and
government
services
and
information,
community
news
and
events,
and
quality
of
life
information.
Graph
1.
Community
Information
Ecosystem
Source:
Knight
Commission’s
Community
Information
Toolkit
(2011)
6
Supra
2.
3

9. Research
on
digital
media
education
has
also
found
that
increasing
user’s
competencies
in
the
new
media
environment
demands
much
more
than
just
“computer
skills.”
Abilities
to
collaborate,
negotiate
and
work
in
groups
to
solve
problems,
evaluate
different
forms
of
digital
media
content,
and
experiment
and
play
with
technologies
in
flexible
settings
foster
users’
autonomy
and
proficiencies
in
the
emerging
media
ecology.7
Such
important
aspects
of
social
access
supported
by
community
media
projects
are
commonly
overlooked;
however,
they
are
of
critical
importance
to
promote
sustainable
adoption
of
digital
media
technologies.
As
the
vision
of
the
Knight
Commission
suggests,
becoming
an
active
citizen
in
today’s
society
demands
not
only
opportunities
to
consume
local
information
and
news
but
also
the
abilities
to
create
and
share
messages
on
issues
that
affect
community
life.
In
this
context,
media
localism
should
be
understood
as
a
multifaceted
and
complex
process
that
requires
more
than
watching
local
content.
Although
of
critical
importance,
the
percentage
of
media
locally
produced
and
distributed
tells
us
little
about
people’s
ability
to
access
this
content,
how
diverse
local
publics
participate
in
these
productions,
how
their
voices
and
viewpoints
are
heard,
and
more
importantly,
how
this
process
impacts
dialogue,
local
governance,
citizens’
wellbeing,
and
community
life.8
Access
360 o
As
highlighted
by
the
Federal
Communication
Commission
(FCC)
in
its
groundbreaking
report
on
“The
Information
Needs
of
Communities,”
community
access
centers
that
have
successfully
transitioned
to
digital
operations
and
diversified
their
services
can
contribute
to
the
sustainability
and
quality
of
life
of
local
communities
by:
-­‐ enhancing
opportunities
for
digital
and
civic
literacy
training;
-­‐ offering
vocational
training
in
media
technology
related
careers
for
youth
and
adults;
-­‐ increasing
government
transparency
and
information;
-­‐ making
local
and
national
connections
via
social
networking
and
distribution
of
local
content
online;
and
-­‐ providing
open,
community
access
to
broadband
infrastructure
and
digital
technologies.
9
7
Jenkins,
H.
(2007)
Confronting
the
Challenges
of
Participatory
Culture:
Media
Education
for
the
21st
Century.
Whitepaper
for
the
MacArthur
Foundation.
Available
at
mitpress.mit.edu/books/full_pdfs/confronting_the_challenges.pdf
8
Fuentes-­‐Bautista,
M.
(2011)
“Digital
localism:
Understanding
needs
of
local
publics
in
the
transition.”
Paper
presented
at
the
38th
Annual
Telecommunication
Policy
Research
Conference,
Arlington,
VA;
Braman,
S.
(2007)
The
ideal
vs.
the
real
in
media
localism:
Regulatory
implications.
Communication
Law
and
Policy
12,
231-­‐278;
McDowell,
S.D.
and
Lee,
J.
(2007)
Tracking
“localism”
in
television
broadcasting:
Utilizing
and
Structuring
Public
Information.
In
Philip
Napoli
(ed)
Media
diversity
and
localism:
Meaning
and
metrics.
177-­‐191.
Lawrence
Erlbaum
Associate,
London,
New
Jersey.
9
Supra
1,
p.
174.
4

10. PEG
channels
and
Community
Access
Centers
that
support
them
bear
great
potential
to
serve
as
a
bottom-­‐up,
integrated
approach
to
media
localism
for
the
digital
future.
Placed
at
the
intersections
of
government,
public
and
institutional
life
of
a
community,
these
projects
can
contribute
to
all
components
of
a
local
information
ecosystem
through
a
three-­‐prone
approach
that
integrates
media
training,
production
of
community
and
government
content,
and
diverse
media
distribution
activities
connecting
localities
with
regions
and
the
world
(Graph
2).
In
this
report
we
call
this
approach
“Access
360o,”
a
multi-­‐modal
access
strategy
defined
from
the
perspective
of
community
users,
aimed
at
enhancing
their
participation
in
the
local
information
ecosystem,
and
their
ability
to
connect
with
local
publics,
regions,
and
the
world.
Graph
2.
Access
360o
Web
-­‐-­‐
Global
Web
-­‐-­‐
Regional
&
National
Publics
Cable
-­‐-­‐
Local
Publics
Cable
-­‐-­‐
Local
Government
&
Institutions
Center
-­‐-­‐
Local
Production
Center
-­‐-­‐
Media
Training
Amherst
Media
Center
Few
studies
have
examined
how
members
of
local
communities
are
navigating
the
new
media
ecology
to
get
informed,
communicate
with
others,
and
participate
in
their
localities.
A
recent
national
survey
of
the
Pew
Internet
&
American
Life10
project
found
that
in
order
to
get
local
news
and
information,
Americans
are
turning
to
a
wider
range
of
platforms,
including
newspapers,
radio,
local
TV
stations,
social
media,
blogs
etc.
On
10
Tom
Rosenstiel,
Amy
Mitchell,
Kristen
Purcell
&
Lee
Rainie
(Sep
26,
2011)
“How
people
learn
about
their
local
community.”
Report
of
the
Pew
Internet
and
American
Life
Project.
Accessed
09/30/11
http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Local-­‐news.aspx
5

11. the
whole,
local
newspapers
–print
and
online–
are
the
preferred
sources
of
public
affairs
and
government
information,
while
local
TV
news
is
mostly
consulted
for
weather,
breaking
news
and
to
a
lesser
extent
traffic.
Web-­‐only
outlets
(from
social
networking
to
video-­‐sharing
sites)
are
now
the
key
source
of
information
on
education,
local
businesses,
and
community
entertainment
(i.e.
restaurants,
music
and
performance
venues).
This
evaluation
adopts
a
media
ecology
approach
to
assess
Amherst
Media’s
role
in
the
local
community
information
ecosystem.
The
community
ecosystem
is
comprised
of
multiple
media
channels
and
community
spaces
used
by
Amherst
residents
to
get
informed
and
communicate
about
issues
that
matter
for
community
life.
The
following
section
describes
the
characteristics
of
different
user
communities
served
by
Amherst
Media,
their
patterns
of
consumption
of
video
content,
and
uses
of
new
media.
Then,
the
report
turns
to
an
evaluation
of
Amherst
Media’s
contribution
to
different
components
of
the
information
ecosystem
including:
(1)
communication
infrastructure;
(2)
institutional
and
individual
skills
to
create
and
exchange
community
content;
and
(3)
the
availability
of
government
and
community
information.
In
each
area,
we
asked
participants
of
the
study
to
compare
Amherst
Media’s
services
to
other
media
offerings
and
communication
services
available
in
the
region.
6

12. III.
Mapping
Amherst
Media’s
Publics
This
study
assesses
only
the
experience
of
the
Amherst
Media
user
community.
The
goal
is
to
understand
how
AM
meets
their
communication
and
information
needs,
and
how
this
experience
can
be
improved.
Building
on
previous
studies
of
community
broadcasting
audiences
carried
out
in
the
U.S.
and
Australia,11
this
project
employed
a
user
survey,
focus
group
discussions
and
interviews
to
investigate
users’
reasons
for
watching
Amherst
Media
content,
using
its
facilities
and
training
services,
and
preferring
AM
content
and
services
over
other
media
offerings
and
services
(commercial,
public,
and
independent)
available
in
the
community.
This
design
constitutes
a
practical,
economical,
and
in-­‐depth
audience
research
approach
that
ensures
the
collection
of
meaningful
evidence
about
how
community
access
serves
its
local
publics.
Participants
in
our
community
survey
were
recruited
between
April
and
June
of
2011
through
public
service
announcements
broadcast
on
Amherst
Media’s
access
channels,
and
via
its
website
and
social
media
outlets.
This
method
of
recruitment
ensured
that
we
recruit
active
AM
users
who
could
help
us
to
understand
the
factors
and
dynamics
that
attract
them
to
Amherst
Media,
evaluating
the
quality
of
their
experience
with
the
community
media
center.
The
drawback
of
this
approach
is
that
it
employs
a
convenience
sample
and
relies
on
self-­‐selected
participants,
therefore
limiting
the
generalizability
of
the
study.
Hundred
ninety-­‐one
(191)
members
of
the
public
answered
the
call
to
participate
in
an
online
survey
that
explored
diverse
forms
of
user
involvement
in
the
center,
users’
patterns
of
access
and
use
of
media
technologies,
preferences
in
the
consumption
of
local
information,
media
production
practices,
and
socio-­‐demographics.
From
this
pool,
fifty-­‐five
(55)
people
also
participated
in
ten
(10)
two-­‐hour
focus
group
discussions
conducted
at
the
access
center
between
May
and
July
2011.
These
conversations
explored
reasons
for
involvement
in
Amherst
Media,
value
of
AM
programs
and
services
vis-­‐à-­‐vis
other
local
media
offerings,
and
general
suggestions
for
improving
AM
services.
Follow-­‐up,
in-­‐depth
interviews
with
ten
(10)
AM
producers
further
investigated
the
advantages
and
challenges
faced
by
citizens
that
use
AM
facilities,
equipment
and
services
to
engage
with
the
local
community
through
community
productions.
11
Fuentes-­‐Bautista
(2009,
April)
Beyond
Television:
The
digital
transition
of
public
access.
SSRC
Report;
Amherst,
MA.;
Inouye,
T.,
Lacoe,
J.
and
Henderson-­‐Frakes,
J.
(November
8,
2004)
Youth
Media’s
Impact
on
Audience
&
Channels
of
Distribution:
An
Exploratory
Study.
A
report
for
the
Open
Society
Institute.
Meadows,
M.,
Forde,
S.,
Ewart,
J.,
and
Foxwell,
K.
(March,
2007).
Community
media
matters:
An
Audience
Study
of
the
Australian
community
broadcasting
sector.
Australia.
Available
at
http://www.cbonline.org.au/index.cfm?pageId=51,171,2,0;
McNair
Ingenuity
Research
(2004).
Community
Radio
Listener
Survey
—
Summary
Report
of
Findings,
available
at
cbon-­‐line.org.au.;
McNair
Ingenuity
Research
(2006),
Community
Radio
Listener
Survey
—
Summary
Report
of
Findings,
available
at
http://
www.cbonline.org.au/media/mcnair_survey_06/McNair_Report.pdf
7

13. 1.
Users’
socio-­‐demographics
Participants
in
this
study
tended
to
be
older,
less
ethnically
diverse,
and
more
educated
than
the
overall
Amherst
population.
As
detailed
in
Table
1,
the
majority
was
white
(81%),
between
ages
30
and
50
(55%),
college-­‐educated
(73%),
and
lives
in
households
making
over
$50,000
a
year
(56%).
However,
users
under
30
years
old
(20%
of
participants)
show
some
unique
socio-­‐
demographic
patterns.
They
were
mostly
males
(53%),
more
ethically
diverse
than
the
overall
sample
(68%
were
white),
low
or
middle
income
(70.3%),
attending
school
(51%)
or
working
part-­‐time
(27%).
Young
adults
–
who
clearly
are
mostly
students
–
also
account
for
almost
half
(45.8%)
of
low-­‐income
respondents.
Users
making
less
than
$30,000
a
year
represent
29%
of
our
sample.
They
tended
to
be
more
diverse
than
the
overall
sample
(70%
were
white),
college
educated
(63%),
working
part-­‐time
(44%)
or
full-­‐time
(19%),
or
attending
school
(29%).
Finally,
approximately
half
of
our
sample
(47%)
was
constituted
by
registered
members
of
Amherst
Media.
They
tend
to
be
college
educated,
in
their
20s
or
50s,
more
ethnically
diverse
than
the
overall
sample
(73%
are
white),
and
lower
or
middle
income.
We
compare
results
among
these
different
groups
to
explore
patterns
of
affiliation
and
degrees
of
involvement
of
different
publics
with
the
center.
Table
1.
Amherst
Media
Users
(Valid
N=191)
Amherst Amherst
Media Town of Media Town of
Survey Amherst Survey Amherst
% % (2010) % % (2010)
AGE EDUCATION
< 20 years 3.2 N/A Some high school 2.1 N/A
20 – 29 16.7 N/A High school/ equiv. 5.3 N/A
30 – 39 8.1 N/A Some college 13.3 N/A
40 – 49 18.8 N/A Associate degree 5.9 N/A
50 – 59 28.5 N/A Bachelor's degree 35.1 N/A
N/A N/A
60 – 69 13.4 Graduate degree 38.3
> 70 years 11.3 N/A ANNUAL HOUSE. INCOME
GENDER < $30,000 29.3 N/A
Male 50.5 47.9 $30,000-$39,999 5.5 N/A
$40,000-$49,999 9.8 N/A
Female 49.5 52.1 $50,000-$74,999 20.7 N/A
RACE $75,000-$99,999 20.7 N/A
One Race 92 > $100,000 14 N/A
White 80.7 78.9 WORKING STATUS
African Amer. 5.3 5.5 Full-time 47.3 N/A
N/A
American Indian 0.5 0.2 Part-time 20.7
Asian 1.6 9.5 Going to school 12.2 N/A
Other Race 3.7 Home caretaker 1.2 N/A
Mixed races 8 Retired 13.8 N/A
Hispanic/Latino 8 6.6 Unemployed 4.8 N/A
8

14. 2.
Amherst
Media
as
a
Regional
Community
Access
Resource
Our
study
reveals
that
Amherst
Media
functions
as
a
regional
community
access
resource
that
meets
the
communication
and
information
needs
of
residents
of
Amherst
and
many
other
communities
in
Western
Massachusetts.
An
important
number
of
survey
respondents
–almost
forty
percent
(40%)–
were
residents
of
seventeen
(17)
other
communities
in
the
region,
including
neighboring
towns
(i.e.
Northampton
and
Hadley),
urban
centers
(Springfield,
26
miles
south
of
Amherst)
as
well
as
more
remote
ones
such
as
Turners
Falls,
Orange,
Williamsburg,
and
even
North
Adams
(52
miles
north
west
from
Amherst)
(Table
2).
Interestingly,
Amherst
residents
and
non-­‐residents
present
similar
socio-­‐demographics
and
patterns
of
affiliation
to
the
station.
Table
2.
Which
town
do
you
live
in?
Town Frequency %
Amherst 113 60.1
Northampton 12 6.4
Springfield 8 4.3
Hadley 7 3.7
Sunderland 6 3.2
Belchertown 5 2.7
Easthampton 5 2.7
Leverett 4 2.1
Other 28 14.9
Total valid 188 100.0
9

15. Non-­‐Amherst
residents
are
an
active
and
vibrant
part
of
the
AM
user
community.
In
focus
group
discussions,
they
explained
their
interest
in
Amherst
Media,
and
strong
motivation
to
commute
to
Amherst
–sometimes
over
long
distances–
based
on:
• The
lack
of
comparable
access
services
in
their
towns;
• Friendly
and
welcoming
atmosphere
at
the
center
that
is
also
opened
for
long
hours;
• Greater
quality
of
the
services
and
equipment
available
at
the
Amherst’s
access
center;
• Media
technology
classes
not
available
in
other
places;
• Opportunities
to
distribute
content
through
the
local
access
channels
and
online;
and
• Interest
in
the
work
of
community
producers
and
the
creative
community
of
Amherst.
3.
Use
of
Media
Technologies
and
Exposure
to
Video
Content
Participants
in
our
study
can
be
described
as
tech-­‐savvy
adults,
with
taste
for
alternative
forms
of
media
and
information,
and
who
routinely
use
a
blend
of
media
platforms
and
devices
to
watch
video
content
and
seek
out
local
information
(Graph
3).
Graph
3:
Do
you
use
these
electronic
devices
to
watch
video?
(Please
check
all
that
apply)
AM
users
we
surveyed
have
distinct
media
technology
habits
that
somewhat
reflect
the
social
dynamics
of
a
college
town.
• Use
a
laptop
computer
(82%)
or
desktop
computer
at
home
(65.9%)
to
watch
video.
Use
of
laptop
computers
at
home
is
particularly
high
among
users
under
30-­‐years
(94%);
10

16. • Watch
online
videos:
69.9%
watches
between
one
and
ten
hours
of
online
videos
a
week,
and
3%
watches
10
hours
or
more.
•
AM
users
are
significantly
more
likely
than
US
adults12
to:
• Use
social
networking
sites
(80.1%
vs.
64%);
visit
a
local,
state
or
federal
government
website
(90.9%
vs.
67%);
get
their
news
from
online
sources
(94.3%
vs.
76%);
and
use
the
Web
to
look
for
jobs
(64.2%
vs.
56%).
• Overall,
social
networking,
reading
news,
and
e-­‐banking
are
the
most
preferred
online
activities
of
participants
in
our
study,
followed
closely
by
consulting
e-­‐
government
sites,
downloading
or
streaming
music,
chatting
with
friends
and
getting
or
receiving
advice
about
health
issues.
In
contrast,
they
were
less
likely
than
US
adults
to:
• Use
television
sets
to
watch
videos
(85%
vs.
compared
with
99%
of
all
US
adults).13
It
is
important
to
point
out
that
these
trends
are
even
more
pronounced
among
young
adults,
79%
of
whom
declared
having
TV
at
home.
• Watch
commercial
television.
The
majority
of
our
sample
(71.6%)
watches
less
than
20
hours
of
commercial
television
a
week,
and
23%
of
respondents
do
not
watch
commercial
television
at
all.
These
numbers
are
considerable
lower
than
the
average
consumption
of
commercial
TV
in
the
U.S.14
The
majority
of
survey
participants
subscribes
broadband
at
home
(84%),
uses
the
Internet
in
a
daily
basis
(92.3%),
and
goes
online
from
various
places,
mainly
home
and
work,
and
other
locations
(i.e.
school,
coffee
houses,
and
a
friend’s
house)
(Graph
4).
• These
results
place
our
sample
among
the
well-­‐connected
of
the
Internet
user
population
in
the
U.S.
According
to
the
most
recent
data
of
the
Pew
Internet
&
American
Life
project,
only
62%
of
all
adults
in
the
country
enjoy
a
high-­‐speed
broadband
connection
at
home,15
and
59%
of
American
adults
actually
use
the
Internet
everyday.
12
Recent
statistics
of
video
viewership
across
different
media
platforms
can
be
found
at
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/american-­‐video-­‐habits-­‐by-­‐age-­‐gender-­‐and-­‐
ethnicity/;
for
recent
trends
of
online
activities
see
http://www.pewinternet.org/Static-­‐
Pages/Trend-­‐Data/Online-­‐Activites-­‐Total.aspx. For
recent
statistics
of
TV
ownership
see:
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/nielsen-­‐estimates-­‐number-­‐of-­‐u-­‐s-­‐
television-­‐homes-­‐to-­‐be-­‐114-­‐7-­‐million
13
Nielsen’s
Cross
Platform
report
(June
15,
2011)
http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/cross-­‐platform-­‐report-­‐americans-­‐watching-­‐
more-­‐tv-­‐mobile-­‐and-­‐web-­‐video/
14
The
most
recent
reports
of
the
American
Time
Use
Survey
indicate
that
that
on
average,
Americans
age
15
and
over
spend
2.7
hours
per
day
watching
television
that
is
18.9
hours
a
week
(http://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm).
Nielsen
ratings
estimates
the
average
TV
viewing
in
around
20
hours
a
week.
15
Pew
Internet
&
American
Life
Project,
accessed
January
11th,
2012.
For
recent
statistics
on
daily
activities
online
see
http://www.pewinternet.org/Trend-­‐Data/Online-­‐Activities-­‐Daily.aspx;
11

17. We
found
that
only
16%
of
people
in
our
sample
lack
of
high-­‐speed
Internet
access
at
home.
• The
top
reasons
behind
the
lack
of
home
broadband
access
were
high
prices
of
connection
and
monthly
fees
broadband
services
(64%),
lack
of
interest
in
these
services
(20%),
and
absence
of
broadband
providers
in
their
area
of
residency
(16%).
Graph
4.
In
a
regular
week,
how
often
do
you
go
online
form
the
following
locations?
Several
Once
a
3-­‐5
times/
1-­‐2
times/
Rarely
or
Location Total
times
a
day day week week Never
Home 72.5% 17.4% 3.4% 2.2% 4.5% 100%
Work 55.1% 6.7% 2.8% 3.4% 32.0% 100%
School 12.4% 4.5% 2.2% 2.2% 78.7% 100%
Public
Library 2.2% 1.1% 5.6% 9.6% 81.5% 100%
Coffee
House
or
other
public
2.8% 1.1% 4.5% 19.7% 71.9% 100%
location
A
friend's
house 2.2% 1.1% 2.2% 12.4% 82.0% 100%
In
order
to
find
video
content
online,
Amherst
Media
users
tend
to
rely
on
search
engines,
recommendations
from
friends,
and
searches
on
video-­‐sharing
sites
like
YouTube
(Graph
5).
Graph
5.
How
do
you
regularly
find
video
content
online?
(N=176)
Estimates
about
broadband
penetration
are
available
at
http://www.pewinternet.org/Trend-­‐
Data/Home-­‐Broadband-­‐Adoption.aspx.
12

18. 4.
Awareness
of
Amherst
Media
services
Survey
results
indicate
that
contact
with
local
social
networks,
and
casual
TV
surfing
are
the
typical
ways
in
which
viewers
of
Amherst
Media
content
first
become
aware
of
the
local
channels
and
the
Center
(Table
3).
However,
as
explained
by
focus
group
participants,
watching
AM
content
on
cable
or
online
does
not
easily
translate
into
knowledge
and
awareness
of
the
full
spectrum
of
training
and
community
activities
offered
by
the
Center.
Table
3.
How
did
you
first
become
aware
of
Amherst
Media
channels
(Public,
Entertainment,
Government)?
Answers
options
%
A
friend
25%
Surfing
through
television
channels
19%
Local
government
16%
Community
organization
13%
My
local
school
7%
Local
newspaper
7%
Work
4%
Don't
remember
4%
Sought
out
for
local
TV
station
3%
OTHER
3%
Participants
in
focus
group
discussions
expressed
their
strong
desire
to
see
larger
sections
of
the
Amherst
community
represented
in
programs
aired
by
the
channels,
or
directly
involved
in
the
many
activities
organized
at
the
Center.
Overall,
there
was
a
consensus
that
Amherst
Media
needs
to
publicize
more
widely
their
services
and
programs
to
the
local
community.
Users
see
a
great
need
to
customize
outreach
efforts
to
engage
particular
sections
of
the
Amherst
population,
particularly
the
youth,
local
artists,
and
low-­‐income
residents.
For
instance,
Jacob16,
a
youth
local
artist
blacksmith
who
first
became
aware
of
AM
at
a
community
event
when
he
was
invited
to
visit
the
center,
proposed
to
increase
participation
of
community
artists
by
reaching
out
to
local
groups
of
artists,
and
create
and
air
regular
programs
featuring
their
work.
A
26-­‐year
old
community
producer
who
has
used
the
facilities
for
more
than
10
years,17
spoke
of
the
need
to
attract
more
youth
by
partnering
with
local
colleges
and
colleges,
and
offering
screenwriting,
citizen
journalism
and
performance
classes
for
students.
Bruce,18
a
local
contractor
who
produces
his
own
community
show
for
the
public
channel
(Channel
15),
believes
that
16
Focus
group
discussion
1,
04/16/2011.
17
Focus
group
discussion
4,
04/21/2011.
18
Focus
group
discussion
2,
04/19/2011.
13

19. the
center
should
think
more
creatively
of
training
and
outreach
activities
for
low-­‐
income
residents
who
cannot
pay
for
training,
for
those
who
work
regular
hours
during
weekdays,
or
those
who
lack
awareness
or
do
not
understand
the
“do-­‐it-­‐yourself”
culture
and
grassroots
spirit
that
drives
community
media
productions.
College
students
and
other
members
of
the
public
would
like
to
see
a
more
active
working
relation
between
Amherst
Media
and
the
Five
Colleges.
Although
Amherst
Media
has
established
internship
programs
with
UMass
Amherst
and
Hampshire
College,
students
participants
in
our
study
explain
that
they
found
information
about
AM
through
social
networks
of
friends,
occasionally
through
professors,
or
through
Web
searches
while
looking
for
local
internship
opportunities.
“There
is
a
personal
link
between
several
faculty
in
the
Communication
department,
but
I
do
not
think
that
it
translates
into
a
student
connection
for
career
or
internship
possibilities.
I
went
to
a
career
office
on
campus
and
no
one
said
to
me
“Oh,
you
are
a
Comm
major,
you
should
go
to
Amherst
Media.”
I
also
don’t
think
it
is
institutionalized
on
the
campus
TV
station…”
Adrian,
AM
Intern,
Co-­‐producer,
Local
Sound
(personal
interview).
“I
found
out
about
Amherst
Media
probably
my
second
semester
here.
I
transferred
here
in
the
fall
of
2008,
so
probably
about
spring
’09
and
at
that
time,
I
was
working
for
WMUA…
I
spent
a
lot
of
time
on
the
Internet
trying
to
find
things
out
Amherst
and
that’s
how
I
found
out
about
WMUA
and
while
working
there
one
day
I
heard
about
Amherst
Media… The
connection
between
U-­‐Mass
and
Amherst
Media,
I
think
primarily
comes
through
career
services
and
the
campus
television
station…
but
one
thing
that
they
don’t
tell
you
is
you
could
do
this
as
a
work-­‐study
job.
If
I
knew
that,
I
would’ve
found
a
way
because
I
took
two
jobs
these
years…I
worked
at
the
station
for
five
hours
a
week
and
I
did
a
security
job.
I
would’ve
taken
this
before
security
if
I
had
to
known.
I’d
transfer
work-­‐study
funds
here
and
gain
so
much
more
experience,
but
they
don’t
tell
you
that
at
first,
a
lot
of
information
is
missed…
really
it’s
on
you
to
go
and
find
information.”
Candace,
UMass
Amherst
student
and
AM
intern
(04/21/2011)
“I
needed
a
work-­‐study
job
and
all
the
campus
jobs
went
off
quickly,
and
I
wanted
something
media
involved
because
I’m
a
film
video
production
student,
so
Amherst
Media
definitely
filled
those
requirements
and
it
was
a
nice
environment…
I
think
I
saw
it
in
a
flyer
or
a
list
of
work
studies
of
campus…
but
we
have
a
missing
link
between
our
schools
to
our
resource
here…”
MelMel,
Hampshire
College
student
and
AM
intern
(04/21/2011).
14

20. IV.
Amherst
Media
and
the
Local
Information
Ecosystem
Perhaps,
the
most
valuable
contribution
of
community
media
projects
to
community
life
is
their
ability
to
involve
local
citizens
in
variety
of
media
training,
education,
collaboration,
production
and
deliberation
activities
that
expand
knowledge
and
communicative
skills
that
people
can
use
in
many
aspects
of
their
lives:
from
politics,
education,
and
job-­‐related
pursuits,
to
creative
expression
and
entertainment.
We
assessed
the
contribution
of
Amherst
Media
to
its
local
information
ecosystem
by
examining
different
activities
through
which
the
public
participates
in
the
Amherst’s
access
center
and
its
channels.
We
evaluated
the
quality
of
this
experience
by
asking
users
to
compare
AM
services
to
other
media
offerings
available
in
the
region,
submitting
their
opinions
and
suggestions
for
improving
AM
operations.
1.
Different
forms
of
public
involvement
in
Amherst
Media
Viewing
content
distributed
through
local
cable
channels
and
the
Web
is
the
most
common
activity
(68.6%)
through
which
users
engage
with
Amherst
Media
(Graph
6).
Graph
6.
Public
involvement
in
Amherst
Media
Please check the boxes that describe your relationship with Amherst Media
(you may check more than one box) (N = 156)
I am a member of a local
2.6%
business that sponsors AM
I am a member of a non-profit
8.3%
organization that sponsors AM
I do volunteer work and time for
12.8%
AM
I produce video and web content 29.5%
I use AM facilities and services 46.8%
I watch AM video content 68.6%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0%
However,
the
majority
of
Amherst
Media
users
we
surveyed
(61%)
are
involved
with
the
center
through
many
other
activities
beyond
watching
video
content.
As
a
community
media
project,
Amherst
Media
enjoys
diverse
and
strong
ties
with
its
user
community;
people
tend
to
combine
the
viewer
experience
–arguably
a
passive
form
of
public
involvement–
with
different
forms
of
active
participation
through
training,
production
activities,
and
use
of
the
facilities
(Graph
7).
15

21. • Direct
use
of
Amherst
center
facilities
(46.8%),
and
content
production
for
the
web
and
the
channels
(29.5%)
are
important
activities
that
characterize
the
regular
AM
user’s
experience.
• Participants
also
volunteer
time
at
the
station
(12.8%)
and
sponsor
programs
and
events
(10.9%),
bringing
direct
support
to
Amherst
Media
operations.
• Forty
percent
(40%)
of
users
are
engaged
with
the
center
in
more
than
one
activity.
Graph
7.
Types
of
Public
Involvement
(n=156)
Produce
content
Volunteer
only
Sponsor
only
only
3%
5%
3%
Use
the
facility
only
10%
Watch
content
only
39%
2
acaviaes
19%
≥
3
acaviaes
21%
Registered
Amherst
Media
members
are
more
likely
to
engage
in
more
than
one
activity
with
the
access
center
(Table
4).
The
decision
of
joining
AM
as
a
member
is
connected
to
the
benefits
users
derived
from
engaging
in
different
activities
supported
by
the
community
access
center,
particularly
training
and
use
of
equipment.
In
order
to
increase
number
of
citizens
affiliated
to
the
center,
Amherst
Media
should
think
of
how
its
membership
can
“add
value”
to
the
experience
of
its
users,
beyond
offering
access
to
resources
(i.e.
equipment)
and
information
(in
the
case
of
viewers).
For
instance,
members
could
be
offered
discounts
to
attend
local
events
and
venues
that
sponsor
the
center
and
local
access
channels.
Table
4.
Number
of
Activities
in
which
AM
Members
Participate
(n=156)
N
of
Activities
Are
you
an
AMHERST
MEDIA
member?
No
Yes
1
activity
78.00%
39.20%
2
activities
17.10%
21.60%
3
activities
or
more
4.90%
39.20%
16

22. The
need
of
‘connecting’
with
local
community,
and
keeping
up
with
local
public
affairs
is
the
main
factor
driving
general
public
involvement
with
Amherst
Media.
This
can
happen
in
the
real
and
virtual
space
through
activities
at
the
access
center,
or
by
watching
local
video
content
distributed
through
the
cable
channels
and
the
Web.
Some
users
look
for
a
“medium”
to
broadcast
their
ideas,
while
others
seemed
more
interested
in
knowing
what
is
happening
in
town,
exchanging
opinions
or
engaging
in
dialogue
with
particular
members
of
the
local
community.
Focus
group
participants
described
Amherst
Media
as
a
“channel”
or
“space”
where
people
can
“meet
other
people,”
“reach
to
locals,”
“made
your
ideas
known
by
others
in
the
community,”
“find
like-­‐minded
people,”
“provide
alternative
viewpoints,”
or
“advocate”
for
a
cause.
This
need
for
‘public
connection’
was
reflected
in
narratives
that
highlight
how
Amherst
Media
serves
as
a
forum
to
access
local
publics,
and
let
them
know
about
community
life
and
issues.
“I’m
a
parent
and
an
advocate
and
I’ve
been
involved
in
the
Amherst
public
school
system
for
more
than
20
years.
As
a
parent
of
color,
there
are
issues.
We
have
an
excellent
public
education
but
there
are
issues
with
inequality
and
educational
achievement
gaps.
It
[Amherst
Media]
is
important
to
let
people
know
about
these
issues
–
I
am
a
strong
advocate
for
social
justice,
from
special
education
issues
to
kids
of
color,
to
low-­‐income
families…”
Parent,
woman
of
color,
local
business
owner
(04/21/2011)
“I
think
it's
important
that
residents
have
access
to
all
of
the
different
programs
and
things
that
are
happening
in
this
community.
There
are
so
many
and
it's
hard
to
get
to
even
a
fraction
of
them,
so
I
think
it's
important
that
Amherst
Media
records
them
made
them
available
for
all…”
Rebecca,
Amherst
resident,
President
of
League
of
Women
Voters
(04/27/2011)
“I
work
for
the
Amherst
Public
Schools
as
the
volunteer...
I
also
do
a
lot
of
community
outreach
and
development
for
the
Amherst
Public
Schools.
Currently,
I
help
in
our
[school
superintendent’s]
bimonthly
TV
show
here
at
Amherst
Media.
I
line
up
guests
and
coordinate
all
the
behind-­‐the-­‐scenes
things
that
go
on.
I’m
also
very
interested
in
doing
podcasts
of
the
school
events
that
we
have
coming
up,
and
community
events,
and
linking
those
podcasts
to
Amherst
Media
so
people
know
about
them.
Can
you
believe
it?”
Parent
and
school
volunteer
(05/18/2011)
The
second
most
prominent
factor
attracting
users
to
Amherst
Media
is
access
to
affordable
media
training
and
equipment.
Amherst
Media
serves
as
a
training
and
vocational
center
for
many
in
search
of
opportunities
to
learn
and
upgrade
their
media
technology
skills,
or
to
use
state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art
equipment
and
software
they
cannot
afford
in
the
market.
It
is
important
to
point
out
that
even
for
those
who
come
to
the
center
17

23. looking
for
training
opportunities,
contact
with
Amherst
media
staff
and
members
of
the
local
community
qualitatively
transform
and
enrich
this
experience,
adding
social
meaning
to
the
learning
process,
and
enhancing
their
sense
of
connection
to
the
local
community.
“I
started
coming
down
here
two
or
three
years
ago
when
everything
kinda
fell
off
economically.
I’m
a
contractor,
so
jobs
definitely
dried
up...
I
thought
perhaps
I
could
make
money
on
this,
maybe
or
it
could
lead
to
some
other
opportunity...
I
am
philosophically
opposed
to
computers
and
don’t
feel
comfortable
with
them;
I’m
not
interested
in
the
whole
media
thing
online.
But
I
have
acquired
some
skills
and
I
produce
my
own
program.
I
figure
some
people
watch
in
Amherst,
and
I
occasionally
get
some
feedback
from
people
around
here.
Most
of
it
is
locally-­‐
related.
I
don’t
like
to
dwell
on
the
politics
all
the
time,
I
think
it’s
depressing...
But
I’m
here
to
offer
an
alternative
viewpoint
to
the
people;
that’s
basically
what
I’m
doing
here…”
Bruce,
Amherst
resident,
local
contractor
and
AM
producer
(04/19/2011)
“I
came
to
Amherst
to
study
a
master’s
of
fine
arts
and
poetry
at
UMASS...
[My
partner
and
I]
decided
we’d
like
to
record
some
of
the
readings
that
happen
at
UMASS,
around
Northampton
and
Amherst,
and
put
them
up
on
a
podcast.
So,
we
come
here
[to
Amherst
Media]
and
we
record
a
podcast
with
an
introduction
and
then
a
live
reading.
We
keep
it
very
light
and
conversational.
I’m
a
veteran
listener
to
podcasts,
so
I
kind
of
try
to
follow
the
formats
there.
As
for
TV,
we
don’t
even
have
our
television
plugged
in.
We
don’t
have
cable.
That’s
not
out
of
snobbishness!
We
watch
online,
that
includes
a
little
bit
of
Amherst
media
website.
Simply,
as
a
student
and
a
teacher,
I
don’t
really
have
all
sorts
of
money
to
invest
in
all
sorts
of
equipment
to
record
a
podcast.
It’s
great
to
come
here
and
have
James’
assistance
when
it
comes
to
recording
and
uploading
it.
We’ve
learned
a
lot
about
recording
audio.
Amherst
Media
has
been
very
helpful
to
us
as
far
as
that
goes.”
Greg,
graduate
student
at
UMass
Amherst,
poet,
producer
(04/21/2011)
2.
Amherst
Media
as
Community
Infrastructure
Forty
seven
percent
(47%)
of
people
we
surveyed
use
Amherst
Media
facilities.
Amherst
Media
functions
as
a
“community
center”
that
supports
not
only
the
production
of
content
distributed
through
its
channels
but
also
vocational,
economic
and
social
life
of
its
users.
Users
of
the
facilities
tend
to
be
white
(68%)
males
(52.4%)
residents
of
Amherst
(76%),
who
are
in
their
20s
or
40s,
who
and
make
less
than
$50,000
a
year
(53.4%).
The
centrality
of
Amherst
Media
as
community
access
infrastructure
is
illustrated
in
Table
5.
The
use
of
the
facility
is
common
not
only
among
those
who
produce
content
at
the
center
but
also
among
viewers,
volunteers
and
sponsors
of
Amherst
Media.
18

24. Table
5.
Types
of
Public
involvement
in
Amherst
Media
(n=156)
Activities
%
Watch
AM
content
39.1
Use
facilities
&
services
10.3
Watch/produce
content,
use
facilities
10.3
Watch
content
&
use
facilities
6.4
Produce
content
&
use
facilities
6.4
Watch/produce
content,
use
facilities
&
volunteer
5.1
Sponsor
AM
4.5
Produce
content
3.2
Volunteer
at
AM
2.6
Watch
content
&
sponsor
1.9
Use
facilities
&
sponsor
1.9
Use
facilities
&
volunteer
1.9
Watch/produce
content
1.3
Watch
content,
use
facilities
&
sponsor
1.3
Produce
content,
use
facilities
&
volunteer
1.3
Other
2.5
The
importance
of
the
community
access
center
for
AM
users
was
expressed
in
numerous
testimonies
collected
through
our
focus
groups.
Participants
described
Amherst
Media
as
a
“town
center,”
the
“modern
digital
library,”
a
“fire
station
for
freedom
of
speech,”
an
“open
community
space,”
and
“an
affordable
training
center”
with
a
welcoming
environment,
and
flexible
hours.
“I
think
of
it
[Amherst
Media]
as
a
community
center
potentially
because
of
the
communication
going
on
in
and
out
here
all
of
the
time,
connecting
up
people,
making
this
like
a
town
center.
At
the
moment,
towns
struggle
for
having
a
“town
center;”
this
could
be
part
of
the
town
center
out
of
the
cultural,
personal,
social
networks
created
here.
And
we
need
that
because
–
well,
I
do
go
downtown,
but
some
Amherst
people
don't
walk
around,
don't
connect,
but
this
could
be
a
source
of
connection…”
Rachel,
artist
and
social
worker,
representative
of
the
Amherst
Public
Arts
Commission
(04/14/2011).
“…
This
[Amherst
Media]
is
a
resource
for
people
in
the
community
that
serves
as
a
modern
library
in
a
way.
I
mean,
libraries
provide
books
and
some
media
access
and
they
provide
a
little
bit
of
Internet,
but
this
one
provides
a
different
type
of
media
access.
It's
open
to
the
public
and
it
is
almost
a
library
and
a
vital
service
in
that
way,
helping
people
connect
with
the
21st
century
media...”
Jacob,
Amherst
resident,
local
artist
and
blacksmith
(04/14/2011).
19

25. “Amherst
Media
is
this
place…
Today,
you
think
of
a
library
as
a
physical
meeting
space.
Well,
really
there
are
digital
meeting
spaces
now.
Who’s
going
to
provide
the
local
digital
meeting
space
for
Amherst?
How
are
we
going
to
find
out
what
the
events
are
in
Amherst?
Where
are
we
going
to
have
discussions
about
Amherst,
in
the
ether,
in
the
cloud?
Who’s
going
to
provide
that
infrastructure?
Libraries,
cafes,
town
government
meetings,
actual
meetings
used
to
do
it,
but
it’s
very
hard
to
attend
meetings
all
the
time.
But
you
really
don’t
have
to
attend
meetings
anymore
because
you
can
have
those
conversations
online
in
an
asynchronous
way.
So,
who’s
going
to
provide
that
opportunity?“
Baird,
local
business
owner,
parent,
involved
in
local
government
(05/11/2011)
“It
[Amherst
Media]
is
a
bit
more
of
a
professional
environment.
We
just
had
a
poet
record
for
our
[podcast]
program,
and
we
could
do
it
at
home
but
having
the
studio
is
kind
of
neat…
this
may
be
part
of
a
community
space
–that
space
between
work
and
home.
It’s
another
space
in
town
in
which
to
be
civic;
and
this
is
a
good
thing!”
Greg,
graduate
student
at
UMass
Amherst,
poet,
producer
(04/21/2011)
Users
under
30-­‐years
of
age
(70%),
those
from
low
and
middle-­‐income
households
(68%),
registered
Amherst
Media
members
(75%),
tend
to
be
the
main
users
of
the
access
center.
As
Graph
8
illustrates,
the
use
the
facility
is
a
central
activity
even
among
those
who
do
not
watch
content
produced
at
the
center.
Graph
8.
–
Use
of
Amherst
Media
Facilities
Among
Non-­‐viewers
and
Young
Adults
When
asked
to
compare
Amherst
Media
facilities
to
other
access
centers
in
the
region,
and
similar
spaces
in
the
Five
Colleges
(such
as
computer
labs,
radio
or
television
stations),
users
explain
the
advantages
of
the
Amherst’s
community
access
center
in
terms
of:
20