On Tuesday evening, the Jason Roberts Foundation (JRF) hosted a virtual launch of a new addition to their offer, the ‘Cultural Media Centre (CMC), situated at Bridgestone Arena, the home of the Foundation since its launch in 2007.
The CMC was borne, in part, as a response to the ongoing pandemic and the need of the Foundation team to find creative ways to stay in contact with and continue to support their local community.
The CMC will be home to:
- CMC Radio – A hosted internet radio channel
- CMC TV – An on-demand video channel
- JRF TV – An on-demand video channel
- Video Production Facility
- Podcast Production Facility
Equipment to resource the studio was funded through grants awarded to JRF from the London Community Response Fund and Trustees of Wembley National Stadium Trust, and the Edward Harvist Trust Fund, as well as donations and refurbishment by local firm C&C Builders Ltd.
The online guests including the Mayor of Brent, local Councillors, the Funders, Media Companies including TalkSport, The Voice Media Group, and Tongue-Tied Media, as well as young participants of the Foundation’s Youth programmes, were shown a demo reel showcasing some of the community initiatives that have been made possible through the CMC. This short video can be viewed here https://vimeo.com/502178350
The variety of output is designed to appeal to the local and wider community, including young people, adults, elderly people, those with physical and learning disabilities, those who are socially isolated, schools, colleges, universities, businesses, and charities.
The CMC will provide a platform where “everyone has a voice” and will offer a vital connection in these disconnected times.
Content will encompass a variety of subject areas and issues including community, sport and leisure, wellbeing, education, careers and training, the Arts, and Heritage.
Novices with a keen media and creative interest will be able to receive training to create and deliver their own content, and those with media experience but no access to facilities will have the opportunity to use the CMC.
Otis Roberts, CEO of JRF said, “Creating a platform to share stories that might not otherwise be heard and providing a stepping-stone to kick-start media careers is central to our output. We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to establish this vital resource, thanks to the funding we have been awarded. We look forward to sharing the CMC with our community.”
