Posted Oct 17,2011
A little less than a year ago Colleen Smith came to LexMedia with the idea to produce a local talk show. She wanted to create a show featuring the people who make up the diverse and interesting fabric of Lexington. Teaming with Producer, David Ilsley, she quickly succeeded… going from start up to star.  Colleen is now recognized everywhere she goes in town, from the grocery store to the library, people compliment her on her show, her guests and her on-air presence. It turns out that the people of Lexington aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed.  The Alliance for Community Media-North East region has recognized their efforts. The LexGo Patriot’s Day Special show won the 1st place prize in the Talk Show category beating contenders from MA, NY, CT, RI, VT ME and NH.  Way to go Colleen and David! Congratulations!

If you’d like to watch this episode go to www.lexmedia.org, click on the ‘Watch Us’  tab in the top menu then ’on-Demand’ then ‘LexGo talk show’ and then scroll down to Episode 7.

Posted July 12th, 2011
We have just purchased a Tascam DR-100 audio recorder for field production use.  We expect to see this used a lot in our documentary group productions as well as musical and other sound critical productions.  Here are some of the specs of the DR-100:

SD card recording.
MP3 or WAV 16 or 24bit.  44.1 or 48kHz.
2 XLR connections.
1/8 line in and outs.
Built-in stereo mic pairs. Both Uni and Omni directional.
Redundant battery operation.
External audio level controls.
External headphone output control.
External audio gain control.
External phantom power control.
Recording time at max quality: WAV@24bit @48kHz =2hrs on 2gb SD card.
Record 1 XLR mic in-put to 1 or both channels

Look for a special class on the DR-100 coming soon.

Posted Sept 1, 2011
All the 2011 Lexington Government meetings are now available on the LexMedia onDemand page.  Just go to the Watch US tab in the top menu then OnDemand and click on Categories.  You will find all the meetings there.

Posted Sept 20,2011
On October 1st from 2pm-4:30pm LexMedia will hold a class on multicamera production using our "Truck Studio".  This is a great opportunity to gain a new skill.  To sign up or for more info contact mark@lexmedia.org.

Posted June 20th, 2011
Marie held a party at LexMedia to thank her hosts, guests and crew for their efforts this past season.  More than 35 people attended this great event. 
Way to go Marie!  Watch for her shows, "Contributions to Earth", "Empowering Women" and "The Power of One" playing now on LexMedia.

 June 8th, 2011
This three part Indian cooking show and class series was just finished shooting.  Host Sandhya Nadkarni had 10 students attend this fantastic series and they all had a great time as did the LexMeda staff.  Check the LexMedia Public and Ed channel schedules for show dates and times.

LexMedia is going to summer hours starting July 1st and ending August 26th. Here are the new hours:
Mondays 10am-6pm
Tuesdays 10am-9pm
Wednesdays 10am-6pm
Thursdays 10am-9pm
Closed Fridays
We will be open other times by special arrangement.

June 1st, 2011
Host Colleen Smith says, 

LexGo has officially completed its first season with 12 shows in less than 5 months.  More than 28 guests have appeared on LexGO! I truly cannot thank you enough for making this accomplishment come true! I need to personally thank Florence DelSanto and David Ilsley for believing in me and supporting me when I walked in these doors in September and had the idea of starting a Talk Show to highlight Lexington; they listened and helped make it happen!  The entire staff at LexMedia has been so gracious, Guillermo, Fred, Mark, Irene and of course to all the volunteers that have helped out on the set, Joe, Adam, my nephew Sam, Bill, Ken, and many more… I need to also thank the valued guests who have made this show what it is. I have learned so much more about our town of Lexington and the individuals who make it all happen. I am impressed and amazed by your commitment, hard work and dedication you put forth to make a difference every day in this great town.  Last but not least I need to thank all the viewers of LexGO, this includes not only my family and friends but anyone that has taken the time to watch a show for a particular guest or maybe just to learn something about Lexington.  Well I guess this is when they say in show business “That’s a Wrap”

See you next fall with season two.  CBS

May 24th, 2011
We had 5 people take part in this special DSLR class featuring the Nikon D7000.  We learned about the histogram, auto focus modes and tracking as well as rolling shutter, white balance, the intervalometer, using the DSLR as a video camera and so much more.  Look for another DSLR class forming here in a few months.

LexMedia has announced the Spring 2011 schedule for the full array of classes about LexMedia, Field Production and Video Editing.  Please contact, mark@lexmedia.org to sign up for these classes.  Sign up now, because some of these classes fill up fast. 

Orientation Class  7-7:30pm
The Orientation class explains who we are, what we do and how people can take part.  The 30-minute session will include a walk though of studios A, and K, the control room, master control, and the edit classroom. We will give an overview of: how to produce and get content on the air, borrow and return LexMedia production equipment, take part in on-going productions and so much more.  The Orientation class is the prerequisite to all other LexMedia classes.   May 3rd  June 7th 

Field Production Class 7 -8:30pm  
This class will introduce members to the Mini DV /HDV camcorders LexMedia has to offer, the Panasonic PV GS500, the Canon GL2 and the Sony HDR-HC7. We will cover basic on-location production techniques including: Camera set up and adjustments, site evaluation, tripod use, hand-held camera techniques, shot composition, camera movement, audio considerations and lighting. We will work through typical filming scenarios to prepare members for their own productions.  This class will allow the new LexMedia member to use our portable equipment.  May 17th, June 14th 

Digital EditingClass7 – 8:30pm
The class will introduce our members to Adobe Premier Pro or Final Cut Studio editing software. You will learn the basics of digital video editing. Topics covered include: Setting up and organizing your project files, capturing digital video, basic editing techniques, b-roll selection and building sequences, and finalizing your program for playback on a DVD.
May 18th    Premier Pro Editing Class.          June 15th   Final Cut Pro Editing Class. 

Studio Production Class 7 - 9pm 
This two hour course is designed to teach members how to work as production crew in a multi-camera studio shoot.  Topics covered include: an explanation of basic crew requirements and job titles, set-up of studio cameras and tripods, audio and lighting, and an introduction to the video switcher and the graphic generator. We’ll also cover basic directing techniques. At the conclusion members are encouraged to join a production crew and become part of current LexMedia productions.   May 10th  June 21st 

Nikon D7000 Camera Class 7-8:30pm        
Video cameras and still cameras have been merging for some time now and it's come to the point that it’s worth exploring the creative possibilities.   LexMedia has purchased a Nikon D7000 for still picture and video production.   We will use this camera to demonstrate advanced still and video techniques as well as the DSLR as used in documentary work.   We'll also talk about the current advantages and limits of the modern DSLR.  May 24th 

Panasonic AG-HMC 150 Class  7- 8:30pm
This is a special class for advanced producers who want to go to the next level.  This camera has a great picture, true HD and many pro features.  We offer this class to current LexMedia members who are active producers.  By permission of the LexMedia instructor. 
June  28th 

To sign up or for more information contact:  mark@lexmedia.org

January 8, 2011 
Three years ago, LexMedia created one of the first on-demand video systems for PEG Access TV.  Interest in this system has remained high and the usage has outstripped the capabilities of the system we originally implemented.

Recently we decided to switch over to the newly announced TelVue PEG.TV system, which integrates nicely with our TelVue Video Server. The key to this new system is that it requires almost no additional manpower to make programs available online.  We will also be working with any group whose meeting is being recorded to generate indexing information. This will enable people to search for content in our onDemand Video database. 

Currently you can see our new system under the Watch Us! menu item in the onDemand section.  As we make further progress on the integration of PEG.TV into LexMedia's operations, more LexMedia produced content will appear in the onDemand section.  We also expect to add more features as they become available, including the ability to search for segments within an entire program.

Finally, once we have the onDemand system fulling integrated with LexMedia's operation, we will develop documentation on how to use the onDemand system to find content.

January 1, 2011 
LexMedia recently won the contract to operate the three Lexington Public, Education and Government Access Television stations on the three Lexington cable systems starting on January 1, 2011 for the next 3½ years with two optional renewals of 3 years each for a total of 10 years.  The contract was awarded by the Town after a procurement process which involved the creation of a formal RFP drafted by the Town of Lexington Communications Advisory Committee and issued by the Town in September, a comprehensive proposal by LexMedia submitted in October, and the negotiations with the Town for a contract with the Town of Lexington covering all aspects of the award completed in December.

"LexMedia is thrilled to receive this contract to continue our service to the residents of Lexington", said Harry Forsdick, Chair of the LexMedia Board of Directors. "Although it took a lot of effort to receive this contract award through the town, this exercise has addressed and corrected many gray areas that have been difficult for us in the past.  We feel that the 10-year contract reflects the amount of work we put into our proposal and contract negotiations."

Florence DelSanto, LexMedia's Executive Director commented, "I'm happy with the new contract, it's an affirmation of the the good work we've been doing. We're delighted that the town has responded so positively to our past efforts. Going forward we have exciting plans to develop new programs and to increase community involvement."

LexMedia has come out of the gates strong with two new, exciting additions to our services; onDemand and Live Streaming. Both are accessible from the LexMedia website.

Posted Dec 21.2011
LexMedia has just purchased 3 Sony NX-70U camcorders.  We purchased these to replace our small and rapidly aging tape based camcorders.  The Sony is many things, true HD, touch-screen, light weight and dust and water resistant.  This camcorder is amazing.  Come take our certification class on Jan 24th at 7pm.  You must be a current LexMedia member to take this class.  RSVP to Mark.

Posted Oct 17, 2011
LexMedia is proud to announce that the cooking show “The Art of Eastern cooking” hosted by Helen Chen has taken third place in the Alliance for Community Media's 2011 fall video festival.  The show was a joint project of LexMedia and Lexington Community Education. LexMedia is very proud of the great work she’s done and looks forward to the next cooking class on November 2 entitled: An Evening with Helen Chen: The Healthy Chinese Kitchen

Posted September 1, 2011
LexMedia invites all Lexington affiliated non-profit organizations and civic groups to take part in a production of a PSA for your organization on Oct 27th, from 11AM-3PMat the LexMedia studio.

What is a PSA?  A PSA is a Public Service Announcement.  It's a simple way to communicate your goals, mission, services, opportunities or needs to the public in a short 30 or 60 second “commercial” video format.            

When completed LexMedia will play your PSA all year long on LPTV.  You will also receive a free copy of the PSA and are free to use it any way you wish.
 
For more information and to schedule your half-hour production time, please contact: Mark McMinn at mark@lexmedia.org or call 781-862-5388

Posted Aug 31,2011
The 2011 Summer Kids Class was a blast.  Look for the edited video coming this fall to LPTV.

June 9th, 2011
LexMedia is covering the 2011 school graduations at:  Lexington HS, MinuteMan Technical HS and Clarke and Diamond Middle Schools.  These graduations will be available for purchase.  Just click on the "Order DVDs" icon on the right side of this page, then click "Graduations" and follow the instructions.

May 21st, 2011
NASSY is an indie-grunge band based out of Boston, MA. Musically, the band has a sound that’s descended from both 90’s grunge and 00’s math-rock origins. From those foundations, the members take a more modern approach to vocals and build songs that satisfy with both memorable and complex qualities.

The band has been described as an “outfit that spends equal amounts of time producing carefully knotted rhythms and crushingly-sweet harmonies. The songs jump around, speed up, slow down, and display an acutely-developed balance of beauty and brutality.”

Watch for this "Noise Gallery'' episode coming to LPTV soon.

May 4th, 2011
Host Colleen Smith with Christina Gamato & Pat Perry, volunteers for the Lexington Historic Society and chairs of the fundraiser  “6 Painted Chairs”. Watch for this episode on LPTV and on the LexMedia Video On-Demand service.

May 6th, 2011
We have just booked two new daytime classes for this summer.  July 7th and 14th at 11am.  Both classes will be a combined Orientation and Portable Production class which means by taking this one class you would be certified to use our portable equipment.  For more info or to sign up contact Mark@lexmedia.org

April 23rd, 2011
Planetoid rocks "The Noise Gallery"
They describe themselves, "We are Planetoid Our mission: to enslave the human race with our transmissions of face-melting rock. In the wake of an intergalactic war, the likes of which this universe has never seen, we have been cast backwards in time from the year 3032. Marooned on this accursed planet known as Earth, we have taken on the guise of the most highly respected and influential force this world has ever known: That of a rock & roll band"

May 5th, 2011
A short description of the class.

This summer a group of kids will meet for one week at LexMedia to produce a TV show.   This will be a hands on experience.  From coming up with the ideas to writing scripts, acting and running the studio cameras, it’s all up to the kids.  The participants will work as a group to come up with show production ideas and will assist each-other in every aspect of production.  Typically the program is made of one large show like a game show or news show etc.  Around this bigger show are the shorter productions.  They can be fake commercials, fake promo's for movies etc.  What is finally created is dependent on the imagination of the participants with staff guidance and encouragement.

This years' summer kids TV production class will take place July 18th-22nd from 1-4pm at the LexMedia studio.  The class is open to kids 10-13 years old.  There are 12 slots available on a first come, first served basis.  The sign-up period for this class is now open.

For more information contact:
mark@lexmedia.org

April 18th, 2011
From 4:30am to 4:30pm the LexMedia staff and volunteer crew covered all the  Patriots' Day festivities.  Check our on-line schedules and tune in for the parade and other Patriots' Day events.

April 15th, 2011
Joan, Dan, Martha and Marie spend time in the comfortable LexMedia edit room.

New Meeting date.  May 7th, 2011
A LexMedia Documentary Film Group is forming.  The first meeting will be Saturday May 7th from 7:30am-9:30am at the LexMedia Studio.  To learn more about this group or to sign up please contact, mark@lexmedia.org

April 7th, 2011
The Tiger Scouts in attendance:  
Takumi, Ayden, Thomas, Jonathan, Samuel, Zoen, Alexander and Nicholas.

By John M. Guilfoil Globe Staff / January 6, 2011

LEXINGTON — It seems like every student, in every successive grade level, has an increasingly natural feel for computers, the Internet, and the latest gadgets. Tweens and teenagers build websites, they program that tricky universal remote control, and they even write entire software programs.

But Lexington High School junior Avdeep Sahi has developed a specialty in the latest techy trend: producing iPhone and mobile applications.

see the rest of this article at the Boston Globe

The LexMedia application is available online via iTunes or the App Store function on Apple devices. 

© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.

January 1, 2011 
With the start of the new contract LexMedia has just negotiated with the Town of Lexington, LexMedia commences a new service, LiveStreaming, which allows anyone, anywhere to view the three Public Access Channels of Lexington Public Access TV from the LexMedia website.  

To access LiveStreaming, go to the Watch Us! menu item and then click on LiveStreaming

March 21, 2011 
With the new integration of LexMedia's broadcast, onDemand and LiveStreaming content delivery, there is another way to find programs that can be viewed onDemand:  From the schedule for upcoming programs.  On the LexMedia website, If you go to the schedules for any of the three channels (e.g., Schedules -> LETV) you will see the schedules for upcoming programs.

In the rightmost column for most scheduled programs there is a link labeled "Watch Now".  If you click on that link, a small window will pop up and the program will be played back onDemand.  

This is a great example of the synergy gained by the recent integration of broadcast, onDemand and LiveStreaming.