Press Release: CMSI Celebrates Community Media Day, Cuts Ribbon on New Podcasting Studio

PRESS RELEASE

OCTOBER 24, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: JENNIFER SAMMARTINO, 718-727-1414    

CMSI Celebrates Community Media Day, Cuts Ribbon on New Podcasting Studio

Staten Island, NY – Community Media of Staten Island hosted an open house in honor of National Community Media Day on Monday. They also cut the ribbon on a brand-new podcasting studio at the Mariners Harbor space.

National Community Media Day is celebrated annually. The day is meant to bring awareness to the importance of free speech and accessible media for all. It's often celebrated around the same time as Free Speech Week, which takes place in the third week of October.

“We are here to recognize the importance and impact that community media has,” said Maria Esposito, Chair of the Board of Directors of CMSI. “It gives everyone a chance to be creative, showcase their talents, and share their stories with others. It also includes a range of platforms – TV, online forums, and podcasting.”

The open house welcomed approximately 60 people in the afternoon. A press conference followed to announce the new podcast studio.

“Since the beginning of time, people have figured out a way to tell a story, and podcasting is just another way to do that,” said Borough President Vito Fossella. “It’s important that Community Media embraces new ways to disseminate information, to tell a story, and to allow everybody that chance. Whoever you are on Staten Island, if you have a story to tell, you should be able to tell it.”

The studio previously had two television studios and editing bays for users to create and edit their content.

“In the last two and a half years, we’ve fostered a lot of change here at the studio,” said Jennifer Sammartino, Executive Director of Community Media of Staten Island. Last year, CMSI launched a streaming service, and since then, nearly 83,000 views of local content have been viewed via the app.

“Podcasting is a converged medium, meaning it combines audio, web, and portable media players. It has become a revolutionary force in media, delivering news, revisiting in-depth storytelling, and creating community,” she said. “Today, we are thrilled to cut the ribbon on our own podcasting studio. The studio was constructed completely with in-house talent to be soundproof, with professional lighting, audio equipment, and a camera. This studio is the result of comments from the community, asking specifically for this.”

The new studio is soundproof and features state-of-the-art podcasting equipment with a camera so that podcasters can also record visually in addition to audio if they wish. For more information and to schedule a podcast rental, please visit communitymediasi.org/podcast.

ABOUT COMMUNITY MEDIA OF STATEN ISLAND

Staten Island Community Television (SICTV) was founded in 1983 as a result of a franchise agreement between the city of New York and Staten Island Cable (now Spectrum). Permanently opened in 1988, SICTV is organized as a not-for-profit corporation under IRS Code 501(c)(3) and currently has a board of directors appointed by the Borough President of Staten Island. Channels provide local programming created by a wide variety of individuals, groups, and organizations within a community.

In 2023, the name was changed to Community Media of Staten Island (CMSI). CMSI provides comprehensive television production training for eligible community members. Eligible members are defined as Staten Island residents or individuals affiliated with Staten Island-based not-for-profit organizations. Volunteers, who assume all responsibility for materials submitted for cablecast, produce programming from start to finish. Access to channel space is on a first-come, first-served basis. Equipment and channel usage are free of charge to eligible community members.

Pictured are, from left, CMSI Board Member Cara Liander, Board Member Vincent Innocente, Borough President Vito Fossella, Board Member Al Curtis, Board Chair Maria Esposito, and Executive Director Jennifer Sammartino.

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