Wayne's World Joins the 21st Century

By Kevin Gillogly.

TV watching changed dramatically since my youth. It was four channels and WGN in hometown of Chicago without the help of rabbit ears. Few had color TVs and the remote control was the youngest person in the room. Today I can watch my favorite network show, ABC's Lost, on streaming video at my convenience. Youtube has changed viewing habits as well. You wont see the entire program because of copyright restrictions. But the Sarah Palin Turkey pardon fiasco is stored forever on Youtube.

Local cable shows are about as modern as a pair of Jane Fonda leg warmers or Madonna's Material Girl. It is something to race by on our way to ESPN or CNN or MSNBC. The only time I would bother to watch a local cable show is if I knew someone who was on it. Then make a concerted effort to remember it.

There are ten community based PEG (Public, Educational or Government) cable channels in MoCo. They are MoCo's personal Wayne's World. Channel 19 and Channel 21 are under the same management. We also have access to Rockville and Takoma Park municipal cable. And Kensington-based Channel 16 that is called Montgomery Municipal Cable.

Wayne is maturing. Channels 19 and 21 are now showing their programs online without the benefit of a cable subscription. It is not the stored streaming video of ABC's Prime time programming. But they have dramatically improved their ability to reach viewers by allowing you watch online. They have also added flash memory to store short videos as lead-ins to their programs.

As a follower of the local political scene, Channel 21 (along with Channel 16's Political Pulse with Charles Duffy) have timely programs to keep abreast of my community.

So if you can't venture out to an upcoming debate that Adam chronicled then you might want to watch the 90 minute debate that is showing up on Channel 21 that was recorded last Friday night. It might help you decide who should be our next Council member from District 4.

Channel 21 is looking more like 21st Century. Nice job.