Update #1: Looks like images are back up and working properly. The only issue remaining appears to be the Channels database, which I’m working on now.

Update #2: Well, looks like I made a bit of a snafu with the database backup before the move. I have to fix the Channels section after the weekend. Sorry about that guys!

Changing How We Deliver News

The way we’ve done news in the past has been to pick one story out of a handful of news items that we’ve found on the web. With the story selected, we would then write a blog entry re-telling the story in our own words and then link to the article for more detail.

There were two problems with this format. 1) It took some time to create the entry, find the right image, etc. and 2) It meant that some stories never received coverage. So we’ve changed how we’re covering news so that there’s more news, faster.

As you may have seen with yesterday’s post, we’re now going to feature all the news that we find and include an excerpt from each article. This way you get to see everything that’s happening in the PEG community and choose for yourself which articles you’d like to read.

Bottom line you’ll see more news, more frequently.

Homepage Tweaked

With the change in the news, we also have made it easier to read. We now feature 3 full blog entries instead of just the first few paragraphs. So now you no longer have to click the “Continue Reading” link to see the full story.

While we were at it, we streamlined the flow by removing the mid-range articles that appeared before the headline list at the bottom of the page.

Removed The Forums

I had expected the forums to take off, however we never received a single post other than the ones I started. After six months, it was time for them to go. If there is a demand for them, we can bring them back.

More Articles In The Pipeline

Maybe it was tryptophan from all the turkey, but a flood of ideas for articles hit me and you’ll be seeing new articles soon. My goal is to have a new article every two weeks at a minimum.

Let Us Know What You think

We hope that these changes reflect and improvement to the web site, but would love to hear from you one way or another. Simply comment on this entry, or drop me an e-mail.

We launched on April 24, 2009, so as of yesterday it’s been 6 months since PEGChannels.org went online. It’s been quite an experience to say the least. There’s been a bit of a learning curve in the mechanics of maintaining running news/blog site and keeping up-to-date on what’s happening in the PEG space, but it’s been very rewarding.

There have been a few surprises along the way, but the feedback we’ve had has been very positive. I’m striving to update the site at least three times a week and add as much new content as possible. One area that’s been a little weak are Articles. Granted, I didn’t think we’d launch that feature until we were about 6-months into things, but we’ve had a few good articles and we have a few more on the way. And that’s where you come in.

Your Input Is Critical

Those of you who frequent this site are actively working in the PEG space and your expertise is invaluable. Your input is critical to the success of the site, because this is not a one-way conversation. My goal with PEGChannels.org was to create an environment where we could have open dialog on the issues and challenges facing the PEG Community.

So how does that happen? It’s simply really. Here’s a few examples:

• Vote In The Monthly Poll — every month we post a new topic on the right side of the site. Share your vote with the single click of a button.
• Feedback — what do you like, or better yet, what don’t you like about the site? I love to hear from you! Wether it’s an “atta-boy”, or a complaint, I love to get feedback, so don’t hesitate to drop me a line.
• Post A Comment — if you see a post that you have an opinion about, please share it with a comment. The folks we write about often visit us to see what we’ve written and a comment of encouragement may seem simple, but could have a big impact.
• Add Us To Your Social Network — We’re on Twitter and Facebook and if you are as well, please consider adding us to your network.
• Submit News — have a news item about your channel? Then let us know about it! We scour the web every day in search for news, so you’d be doing us a huge service if you simply sent it to us directly. Don’t worry about typing up a fancy press release, just e-mail me the pertinent details and we’ll take it from there.
• Submit An Article — we are hungry for content for articles and if you have a topic that you’d like to write about, we could be the perfect platform in which to share it. Articles don’t have to be long, just focused on a specific topic.

These are but a few examples of how you can participate with PEGChannels.org. Some of the items may feel trivial, but every little bit helps.

The first six month have been good, but we have a lot more in store for the next six, so stay tuned. I think the next six is when we’ll see our community really grow and take shape. With your participation we’ll reach our goals even sooner.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. See you next week!

Photo: Thanksgiving Spread, courtesy of David Goehring

Cable TV, or Web Streaming — which is more important?

The obvious answer may be “Both!”, but I’m interested in forcing you to make a choice.

This is an idea that I’ve been kicking around with some friends and co-working for the past couple of months. For the longest time, having a presence on television has been the paramount goal of a PEG Channel, but times are changing. Cable providers have been aggressive in marginalizing PEG content to the end of the digital spectrum, DVRs are more-and-more common and as a result are reducing viewership, just to name a few challenges.

On the other side is web streaming. It’s become much more prevalent and easier to implement. In addition, online media can provide a much richer experience so the end result is a much more accessible and higher quality solution.

Which begs the question, which is better? Please take a moment and vote in this month’s poll.

Photo: Check Marks, courtesy of Pixiesticks23

In October we asked the question, “Do you use social media tools” and the results we mixed. For 1,284 views, 8 of you voted and it was split right down the middle between yes and no. To view the final results, click on the image at the bottom of this entry.

So What Does This Mean?

Well, not much really. We didn’t get a large enough sampling for any real definitive “pulse of the community”. But we’re a growing community and the monthly poll is just a minor component to the site as a whole.

This is a current trending topic, so I think it’s something that we will write about for future articles. Social media is here to stay and how it can be used properly for a PEG Channel is something that warrants further discussion.

Do You Use Social Media Tools?

Photo: office, courtesy of Bianca Francesca

We had over 2,800 people view the poll, but only 8 actual submissions. That’s OK, we’ll take it! PEGChannels.org is a growing community and it’s to be expected that participation will be a little slim at the start.

That being said, this topic is a hot one, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this topic comes back in a future poll in the near future.

Speaking of the future, we’ve launched a new poll for September, “Do You Use Social Media Tools?”, so be sure to cast your vote. You’ll find the poll on the right side of this page.

August 2009 Poll of the Month

Photo: Polling Station by Stuart Boreham

What Is “Channel of the Month?

Each month, we feature one PEG channel to highlight their efforts within the PEG space. The channel is nominated and voted on by the PEGChannels community and is simply a small gesture to recognize all the hard work that goes into a successful PEG Channel.

How Was This Month’s Winner Chosen?

Given that this is our first award and since the site has only been live for a little more than a month, we decided to select the first one ourselves with a little help from our sponsors, EarthChannel. We asked them to provide us with a list of channels and then we selected the winner.

Why DC Office of Zoning (DCOZ)?

Everyone on the list was outstanding, but what stood out most about DCOZ was how unique they were. They aren’t your typical PEG and we loved how they built their solution little-by-little as demand for their video increased.

How Do I Nominate A Channel?

All the details can be found at this link. We will begin the process for September next week, so be sure to join our forums so that you can submit your channel.

Photo: Questions courtesy of Tim O’Brien

IE6 is the bane for anyone developing a web based product and now that more and more PEG Channels are producing web based content, this has a direct effect on what you do. As a web developer myself, I for one applaud Google’s efforts and hope that this creates the tipping point for others to follow.

In fact, it dawned on me that I haven’t really reviewed PEGChannels.org in IE6 in a while, so I fired up the old dog to see how she faired. Most of the site looks fine, but there are areas with real problems. So, I’ve opted to follow Google’s lead and added a warning notice to the top of the page. I just don’t see the point in supporting a browser that is older than the iPod.

But what about you? Do you see this as a good thing or a bad thing? How does this impact you and your viewers? And if you’re a die hard IE6 user, please share with us why.

What Is This Site About?
As the name of the site implies, PEGChannels.org is solely focused on those involved with running, managing and creating content for PEG channels. If you’re not familiar with PEG, it is an acronym for Public, Educational, and Governmental, which are the three common methods of television access within a municipality.

Our goal is to become the “go to” resource for those involved with PEGs and to provide them with a community in which to share their thoughts and ideas with others involved in the same endeavor.

Who Are You?
As of right now, the site is primarily run by me – Michael Ashby. Over time I hope that we’ll see more people come forward to volunteer and lend a hand where needed, but for now I’m the chief bit twiddler and Chief Executive Janitor (CEJ) for the site.

What To Expect
We’re kicking off the site with a blog and forums, but we have a ton of ideas in the works and on the horizon. However, as with any community, a lot of our plans will depend on the response from the members of the community and their needs.

For now, we’ll be posting regularly to the blog and opening up the forums for discussion on a wide-array of topics important to those in PEG.

In the future, we plan to publish Articles, which will be go deeper into a topic than a simple blog post would and begin launching a series of resources that…

Join The Conversation
Central to the reason behind this site is you. If you’re involved with a PEG Channel, we hope that you’ll take the time to join our community in the forums. PEGChannels.org is about you and what you do. Lending your voice to the conversation is critical to making this site not only successful, but vital and useful to PEG channels everywhere.