http://ipraudio.interlochen.org/Dave_Barrons.mp3
Dave Barrons forecast the weather for TV 9&10 for nearly 20 years. Monday night, he returned to TV. This time, he's in an amateur setting.
Public Access Television was created for ordinary people to produce their own TV shows without fear of discrimination, or favoritism. On Public Access, people can televise the most extreme viewpoints. Even members of the Ku Klux Klan have been known to air their own talk shows.
Barrons doesn't offer anything extreme, but in public access his professional broadcasting career is unique. He hopes to lend more credibility to local volunteer producers.
'What Commercial News Can't Do'
Dave Barrons will debut a weekly talk show that will take the time to talk about and analyze regional news. He says that's something our commercial newscasts can't do.
"I want to do a show that brings more viewers to Public Access," Barrons says. "It's an important portal for the public voice in the media world and it's quite remarkable that you can take a little bit of training, come in here and produce your own TV show."
The show's title is "Outside In." It refers to the fact that Barrons will welcome area reporters and news directors from their beats on the street - into his studio.
"Five to seven minutes of news review with a rotating group of news operations in the area," he explains the show's format. "We'll be discussing stories already covered by those news operations and looking back, in effect, at the previous three weeks to a month and just to review stories, to give another chance to get it out, perhaps to add some additional information or insight from the reporter themselves."
Sticking To Basics
Barrons has always been passionate about the idea of Public Access. He says there's big untapped source of amateur producers with plenty to say.
Setting up the show, Barrons works with volunteer director George Meredith on camera operation and lighting. He gives pretty explicit directions:
"Go to camera three which is the close-up of the guest. At that moment ..." Barrons explains what he wants for the show.
Meredith finishes the thought: "Then I readjust my preset on my two-shot."
Barrons does all the rest. He's also a volunteer. He comes up with show topics, books the guests, does all research and, of course, serves as host.
"And if I pick a bad topic or say something stupid on the air or make a fool of myself , there's also no one who's going to be particularly concerned except me," he laughs.