More people are creating video content on their own, but are still using the low-cost training and higher capability equipment and facilities provided by the community media centers

The content produced at the community media centers now is much more than the 30-minute or hour-long video shows, which was the predominant type of content a decade ago. It is increasingly short form video that can be distributed across multiple platforms. 

Ten years ago, most video content producers who used the community media centers did so because they relied on the center for all their video production needs. However, the capabilities of DSLR cameras (Digital Single Lens Reflex – used for both high resolution photography and videography) and smartphones, especially for beginning video producers due to the ease of use while maintaining high quality video production, have enabled many to produce  video programs without using an organizations’ resources. However, access to higher capability devices, including professional type HD4K cameras, as well as editing equipment and software with much higher capabilities and new technology are still in high demand and being used at both community media centers.

See additional data in Finding 5.4 related to media literacy training provided by both Open Signal and MetroEast concerning use of both producers’ personal devices, as well as the equipment available at the centers.

Esper House notes that “all target communities described increased community engagement through social media and media production over the past ten years” using their own personal devices.

Ten years ago, Digital Equity had not yet come into focus as a need for a healthy community in our digital-age society. However, since that time, the community media centers have partnered with many groups that serve diverse populations in the community, focusing on a progression from basic to more sophisticated education around digital and multimedia literacy, and are enabling distribution of community media produced both outside and inside the facility.

Interactive content is also at a much higher level than it was 10 years ago, including a number of social media services that now have interactive video components.

Additionally, the business community is more focused on video and graphic communications, knowing that this is the primary way that all populations receive news and information. The City of Gresham notes for example, for small businesses, videos are becoming more important and as such, they need to be fluent in multimedia literacy in order to provide effective outreach.

Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly changed the way everyone is creating and delivering content, because of the stay-at-home order, to meet the need for continual contact with families and friends, coworkers, employers, and others. Accordingly, video conferencing and video chat systems have seen a huge increase in use in the last several months and are forecast to continue at a high level even after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.