Purpose

The Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity established a Media Services Department to market program services and to promote community awareness of Community Action.

Description

The Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity (PCCEO) created a Media Services Department to promote awareness and support for Community Action and PCCEO programs.  In addition to providing public relations, Media Services is also available to support other CAA’s and State CAP Associations by providing Digital, HD & Film Media/DVD/CD-ROM and web production services at very competitive rates.

The Media Services Department is staffed by a Media Services Coordinator and a Public Relations Specialist.   A variety of methods are carried out to increase visibility of the PCCEO and to highlight poverty-related issues:

• Cable television broadcasts

  CAPtions

CAPtions airs Sundays at 5 PM & Wednesdays 7 PM on Comcast Cable Channel 22 in Peoria County and Wednesdays at 9 PM on East Side Community TV channel 22 in East Peoria, Washington, Creve Coeur.  

Broadcast debuted on June 16, 1975 on GE Cable channel 6, as a program for and about minorities in the Peoria area. CAPtions advocates on behalf of the economically challenged residents, minorities and women. Issues, entertainment and VIPs have appeared on CAPtions. Recent issues such as AIDS in the Minority Community, Status of African-American Males, opportunities for youth, and primary election candidates, have been addressed on CAPtions. Plus, community events that show the positive achievements of African-Americans are videotaped and aired, such as the Dr. MLK Holiday events, AAHFM Museum's Red, Black & Green Ball, NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet, and Urban League’s TSTM Celebration. Agency program events are also broadcast, including Head Start End-of-Year Celebrations, & the Foster Grandparents Luncheon. VIPs who have appeared on CAPtions include then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Dr. Ralph Abernathy, Dick Gregory, Martin Luther King III, Julian Bond, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and Danny Glover, just to name a few! CAPtions is hosted by Andre' Bohannon, former City Councilman and long-time community activist.

JT's Bourbon Street LIVE

JT’s Bourbon Street LIVE was created by long time community talent organizer, the late James Thomas, aka JT Goodfoot. The show airs Sundays 8:30 PM on Comcast Cable Channel 22 in Peoria County and Fridays at 8 PM on East Side Community TV Cable Channel 22 in East Peoria, Washington, Creve Coeur.
This 1-hour program showcases local, regional, and national talent, including singers, musicians, dancers, rappers, poets and comedians. National VIPs that have been on Bourbon Street LIVE include the late James Brown, the O’Jays, the Temptations, Stylistics, P-Funk Band, Chi-Lites, and more. Other personalities who have appeared include Tom Joyner, Doug Banks and Russell Simmons. Local artists featured include the late Bobbye King, Judy Page, Preston Jackson, Ambient, Steve Graves, the late Gail Thomas, Special K, Dre Rob & the Fellas, Ambient, and Sexxx Appeal.

• People Helping People, a bi-monthly newsletter with a circulation of 500. 

• Public relations support to PCCEO programs including news releases and conferences, flyers and brochures.
   
• Networking and connections with other local agencies, and promotion of their special events.

PCCEO’s CAA Media Services is available, for a reasonable rate, to help other organizations produce media for marketing, broadcast, training, and events.  This resource can help CAA’s produce their message to reach potential new customers, make the public aware of the agency, or use for new employee orientation.  Digital broadcast quality, whether standard video, high-definition or film, creates sharp, vivid images that can be viewed at home, at work on a DVD player, or by viewing a video on a computer from a streaming video or a download from the CAA’s web site.  PCCEO Media Services can export video in almost any format. 

Finally, PCCEO Media Services generates revenue by offering digital quality wedding video packages and duplication services at competitive rates.

Outcomes

PCCEO’s Media Services Department ensures that a coordinated and multi-faceted approach is maintained to ensure public awareness about the agency’s activities and issues of interest.