Harmony McKenzie has seen a lot of changes at Cable 14 since she first produced public service announcements (PSAs) for BRIGHT Run a decade ago.
“The evolution of technology has been significant,” said Harmony, Cable 14’s supervisor of programming and social media. “We have so many more tools. The PSAs we make now are more captivating than the older ones, which just weren’t as sleek.”
This year marked the fourth time since 2013 that Cable 14 has produced BRIGHT Run PSAs, bringing a range of BRIGHT folks into the Dundurn Street South studio to speak directly to Cable 14 viewers.
She notes that green screen technology – a visual effects method that involves layering two pictures and/or video steam together – has improved immensely, making finished products using the technique look seamless.
It also makes it easier to schedule video shoots regardless of weather conditions, which can have a negative impact both on the quality of the picture and the sound.
And for the first time this year, Cable 14 personnel produced PSAs for use on CHCH. “That was very cool!” Harmony said.
Cable 14 is the local community television channel that has served Hamilton’s community for more than 50 years. Cable 14 operates under the legal name TV Hamilton Limited, which is owned jointly by Cogeco Communications Holding Inc. and Rogers Communications Canada Inc.
You can watch Cable 14 shows on its website, www.cable14.com. The website has a program guide and you can watch in real time by clicking the “Live TV” button at the top right.
Harmony is one of 12 team members at Cable 14, who are supported by approximately 70 dedicated and passionate volunteers who are involved in coming up with ideas for shows and making them happen.
A Mohawk College graduate, she first worked in network television in Toronto, but she felt disconnected from the community. Her roots were in community TV and she joined Cable 14 more than 13 years ago.
One of the biggest changes she has seen in recent years is the extension of Cable 14’s reach – and BRIGHT Run’s – through the increased use of social media.
“In the past two or three years, we’ve shifted to more intense social media presence,” she said. “That means getting the message out more and we want to keep getting the message out for BRIGHT Run.”
Harmony says Cable 14 does dozens of PSAs for a range of organizations, but rarely do they involve people coming in and telling their stories like BRIGHT Run participants and volunteers do.
“We don’t do anything as heartfelt as those we do for BRIGHT Run,” she said. “Our relationship with BRIGHT is unique from other groups. It is much deeper.”
