By REBECCA DANIELS, Special to Bootleg Essential Culture
Current TV pod producers cover a protest following a DEA raid of a Los Angeles medical marijuana clinic.
It’s for you, by people like you.
It’s for you, by people like you.
This statement rings true for the Emmy-winning, interactive television channel Current TV.
Current TV targets young adults 18-34, who are interested in learning about their world from their peers. The channel’s content focuses on the interests and issues that affect their viewers.
Former Vice President Al Gore and businessman Joel Hyatt founded Current TV. Their idea of an interactive television experience was conceived during the 2000 election. It took five years to get the plan into action, as the cable channel did not debut until Aug. 1, 2005.
“Current TV was founded with the goal of democratizing media by giving young people a platform to share the stories that are important to them,” said Current Vice-President of Online Programming Justin Gunn.
Users create approximately one-third of the programs on Current TV. Hopeful producers create shows, eager to get them on-air. Current TV’s Web site members vote on “pods” (shows), filtering out unworthy ones. Selected users, known as VC2 Producers, are compensated for the “pods” and advertisements they create.
“Pods” are short, raw documentary-style videos created by devotees. They range in subject matter; everything from politics to sports to fashion. “Pod families,” like Current Issue and Current Earth, are created by the channel, from which VC2 Producers can choose the subject matter.
Event planner and Current TV user Joe Mirabella is glad that young people are being represented in the media.
“User-driven journalism is so important in our hyper-conglomerated media world,” said Mirabella.
This alternative source covers everyday issues, as well as edgy material, while remaining feedback-friendly. Users can rant and reflect on the channel’s Web site, current.com, which was launched in 2007.
If the channel isn’t available in your area, you can catch the broadcast on the Web. Programs are available online in real-time, synching video with the cable channel.
“Current TV’s magic lies in how the two complementary platforms [television and the Internet] work together. We call this the two-screen experience,” said Gunn.
The site also serves as a social networking tool for its members. Users create profiles and “connections” with others.
According to Gunn, Current TV is the fastest growing cable/satellite network in the history of the business. In 2005, Current TV reached only 17 million households. Now, the channel is in over 40 million American homes. Just last year, Current TV expanded to Great Britain, serving 12 million households.
Current TV is available on DirecTV, Dish Network, Comcast and other local cable providers.
Not all of Current TV’s programming has a serious tone. One hilarious regular is “Super News”, a raunchy cartoon about famous people. Recently, “Super News” featured K-Fed rapping to President Bush about the benefits of MySpace.
