KBCI Channel 9 kicks off local TV Station
—Courtesy photo KBCI Studio Engineer Owen Plato, left, and KBCI intern Henry Steiner from the Bonners Ferry High School produce the Bonners Ferry City Council meeting for KBCI Channel 9.
BONNERS FERRY — KBCI Channel 9 has been reaching out to the Boundary County community since their official launch in January, offering individuals the opportunity to produce their own television programs to be aired on the local station.
Station manager Michael Listman said the station is offering individuals access to the studio’s editing and production equipment if they would like to create local, community productions.
“Anyone who would like to create a show has the opportunity to do so,” Listman said. “The only technology required is a digital recording device, such as a cell phone or a GoPro.”
KBCI is owned and operated by the Boundary County Translator District, established in 1966. Listman said the original intent has always been to create a community channel that would air local content. Up until January, the station has been rebroadcasting television programming from Spokane, Wash.
“It is up to the community to come up with local programming ideas for the station,” Listman said. “We’re open to all ideas and hoping that people will get excited about the opportunity to be a part of this.”
The station is currently rebroadcasting various programs such as city council meetings, sporting events, and will be filming the community theater’s upcoming play entitled Aida, performed at the Becker Auditorium on Feb. 23-25.
“It takes a lot of work to produce shows,” said KBCI Community Relations Director Rita Pensmith. “There are multiple areas that people can be involved in with production, such as running the camera, editing footage, copy-writing, makeup and wardrobe.”
A for-profit standard advertising rate is charged, however non-profit, community-focused programming is free.
For the next few months, KBCI will be holding an open house for community members who would like to find out more about this resource and how to take advantage of it. The next open house will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, at the KBCI studio, located at 6541 Main Street, Suite C, inside the Department of Labor Job Service building next to Badger’s Den.