On Feb. 1 2012, the West Shore Chamber of Commerce will launch a new monthly, magazine-style television show called WestShore Unlimited.
Like the popular WestShore Magazine, the 30-minute program will celebrate the best people, places, organizations and businesses of the West Shore.
At the same time, the show will deal with substantive issues facing the West Shore and may occasionally be controversial, but with a balanced view to solutions.
Camosun College's applied communications program, along with Shaw Communications, are major partners with the chamber in this exciting new endeavor.
Andy Bryce, the department's chair, will be the show's producer responsible for editing and final story selection and production.
The purpose of WestShore Unlimited is to let the community tell its own stories. Downtown Victoria-based media have historically neglected many West Shore stories and developments.
Programming will largely originate on the street from volunteer community correspondents throughout the West Shore.
Mostly shot on site, we will endeavor to bring stories to air from each of the West Shore municipalities on a regular basis, likely rotating location sites between communities.
This will be a wonderful opportunity for community leaders, groups, schools, municipalities and businesses to showcase their stories of innovation, leadership and good works.
Kyara Kahakauwila and Gerry St. Cyr are our volunteer anchor/hosts and you will soon see them all around town interviewing interesting people and filming great places.
A compelling TV story includes passionate people, strong visuals and if appropriate great places and events.
If you have interesting story ideas that meet these general criteria please contact us with story leads and ideas. Or perhaps you or a friend want to get more directly involved.
We have about a dozen volunteers recruited so far and we are still looking for more both in front and behind the cameras. Some of our volunteers have substantial experience in videography but others are new to the medium. For both story leads and to inquire about volunteering please go to our web site at www.westshore.bc.ca.
We already have, thanks to Camosun College students, enough stories “in the can” for our first two complete shows and we will be filming through February and March for the April and May shows.
The show will be aired a remarkable 16 times per month on channel 11 with show times designed by Shaw to cover a full range of their demographics. Times are Mondays at 9 p.m., Wednesdays at noon, Friday nights at 11 p.m. and Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m.
There will be a www.westshoreunlimited.ca interactive web site launched at the same time. This site will stream each show along with extra footage, background stories and blogging.
We will also be working closely in partnership with the Goldstream News Gazette to share story ideas and provide more visually based background on some of their news items.
This is a chance for our communities to learn more about one another and to share our remarkable stories with the wider communities — many of whom still hold old outdated images of the West Shore.
This is a significant moment for the West Shore, a chance to realize even more of our full potential, to collaborate more, understand our neighbours better, problem-solve together when needed and celebrate all the remarkable people and innovation throughout our municipalities and region.
Please join us by not only by catching the show, but by giving us your great story ideas.
dspinner@westshore.bc.ca
—Dan Spinner is the CEO for the West Shore Chamber of Commerce.