New Berlin tunes into new programs

New Berlin - From over the border in West Allis, a whole schedule of entertainment is flowing into New Berlin homes that have Time Warner Cable.

For the first time in its 30-year history, the Community Media Center of West Allis is broadcasting its programming beyond the borders of the city. As of two weeks ago, Time Warner channel 14 in New Berlin has flashed to life with programs to entertain and inform.

"We were thrilled," said Jeremy Witter of West Allis and a director of the media center.

Coming to New Berlin means a huge increase in audience size and gives new opportunities for New Berlin residents, Witter said.

"We're hoping we'll have access to many talented people in New Berlin," he said.

New Berlin folks have always been welcome to produce television shows through the media center, but this is the first time their friends and neighbors will be able to see them, for the most part.

Cooking up an audience

John Ash, of New Berlin, who is a physical therapist by day and co-star and co-producer of an award-winning cooking show in his spare time, couldn't be happier. He and friend Mark Meddaugh, also New Berlin, an elementary school band director in the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District, produce and appear in the light-hearted cooking show, "La Cuisine du Garage."

"It's great in general because both of us live in New Berlin," Ash said of the recent expansion.

Their show won the national Hometown Video Award from the Alliance for Community Media in 2009.

"It's a different kind of cooking show - not the dunk and pour," Ash said. "It shows cooking is not that hard and it's a great time."

The two started producing the show in late 2003 and have 68 shows with live audiences under their belts.

More 'Mission: Possible'

Another show, "Mission: Possible," created by the New Berlin Police Department, also has come to channel 14 while staying on channel 25 in New Berlin. Capt. Michael Glider originated and developed the monthly show about various police topics in 2005.

Glider, who co-hosts the show, said he wanted to do such a program to clear up misconceptions about police work.

New Berlin's insurance carrier, Cities and Villages Mutual Insurance Company, thought so highly of one particular episode that it shows it to police departments in other cities trying to encourage them to have similar shows. The company awarded it its Significant Program Award for excellence and creativity. This month will be the show's 80th episode.

Anyone can become a media center member for a fee and be trained to operate a camera, how to do preproduction tasks and editing. Then they can borrow equipment and go to it, Witter said.