December 2 will be my 28th anniversary at PMC (fka CTN when I first started in 1996). My tenure at this great community media center will end when I start my retirement on January 1, 2025. In the past 28 years, a lot has happened at PMC. We moved from USM’s former Continuing Education Building at 68 High Street, to 100 Oak Street where we stayed for six years, then had a brief six month stay in the basement of City Hall until we moved to our present location at 516 Congress Street in 2005.
During that time, we’ve had shows featuring local musicians, actors, dancers and other performers, shows about local, national and world politics and events, shows that focused on spirituality, diversity, sports, LGBTQ+ issues, law, immigrants, children, art, education, substance use, government, environment, technology, self-help, circus acts, call-in shows, comedy, improvisation, women’s issues… the list is hard to complete. We’ve also hosted hundreds of workshops on media production for seniors, children, and people with disabilities, aside from being open to the general public at any time. As varied and interesting as all these experiences have been, the most rewarding experiences for me has been helping people make their dreams come true when they produce their own video or podcast to share with their community.
There is magic when people realize their dreams. Media production, in all its forms, provides that magic. And with PMC’s new Civic IQ initiative there’s more magic to come. We have a very involved and committed Board with a specific vision for the future expressed in the Civic IQ initiative. The launch of this initiative makes this the perfect time for a change in leadership to champion Civic IQ and move it forward. Please stay tuned to PMC for exciting changes ahead. Many thanks all of you for making my more than a quarter of a century here at PMC an exhilarating and transformative adventure in community media.