Saratoga Stereopticon
KSAR chronicles city's past, present, future
Nonprofit foundation brings community access TV to Saratoga
By Willys Peck
OK, OK, so I've been living in the past long enough to establish legal residence there, but that doesn't mean I haven't been keeping up with certain scientific advancements.
For instance, I know that when I turn on my radio set now, I don't have to put on earphones; there's a loudspeaker right there. And I also know that the phonograph records I have, although only slightly larger than a coaster under a drinking glass, play for an incredible length of time. What I don't understand is how they can do it on a machine that doesn't even use a needle.
I'm most impressed, though, by television. The idea that I can watch moving pictures in my own living room without having to thread film through a projector really appeals to me. And what is even more intriguing about this television thing, is the fact that there's a broadcasting station (or am I talking radio?) right here in Saratoga. Eat your heart out, Regis Philbin.
I'd been aware of KSAR, channel 15 (formerly Channel 6), for some time, mainly through watching occasional city council sessions. Also, KSAR's cameraman had taken some videos of interviews with longtime Saratogans for subsequent showing and archival use, a project of the Saratoga Historical Foundation.
Just recently, the Historical Foundation started planning production of a television documentary tracing the town's origins back to the lumbering days of the mid-1800s. It will be taped by KSAR for local viewing and, it is to be hoped, will be picked up by PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service.
This all got me thinking that I ought to know more about the creature in our midst called KSAR. The person in charge, Community Access Director Carolyn De Los Santos, under whose feet no grass grows when it comes to promoting the cause, was only too happy at the prospect of getting some ink for it.
KSAR is operated by the Saratoga Community Access Cable Television Foundation, a nonprofit corporation, under a joint powers agreement between West Valley College and the city of Saratoga, dating back to 1986. The station is located on the campus.
The foundation has committed itself to offer Saratoga cable television subscribers programming that encompasses the three missions of community access television (public access, education, and government, or "PEG") outlined in the federal Cable Act of 1984. Operating funds come from part of the monthly fee paid by AT&T Broadband cable television subscribers.
With one exception, the station's signal (underground cable) is received only within the city limits. That exception involves the "distant learning telecourses" offered for credit by West Valley College through an arrangement with the Community College Network (CCN) over KEDU, the educational channels 25 and 26 covering Santa Clara County.
So what does KSAR offer channel-surfers tired of programs like The Sopranos or Weakest Link? Well, there are the Saratoga City Council and Planning Commission meetings which, depending on how you regard these things, or on whose bull is being gored, can be good for suspenseful moments or even a few laughs. The broadcast hours Tuesday and Wednesday are reserved for these meetings.
Other programming is scheduled Monday, Thursday and Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. Among those offerings are cooking shows, musical programs with jazz and blues artists, as well as those programs received by satellite from the arts channel, and a popular children's educational show--with recent national distribution via MTV Networks, reaching about 4 million viewers.
There is a mobile unit for coverage of outdoor events. Of benefit to the town's many organizations is the Community Calendar, listing a wide variety of activities. Not too far down the road is a campaign to enlist support through public memberships in the nonprofit foundation.
The forthcoming Historical Foundation project is a natural for a community access TV channel like KSAR. For Foundation members, it's a challenge involving research into all available documents and pictures that can be blended into a cohesive account of the town's history. KSAR has already cooperated in producing a videotape on the monthly historic walking tours conducted by the foundation. The tape is available at the Historical Museum.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
