NEWINGTON, CT, [UPDATED] Jan 24, 2003--The ARRL soon will make available a new video presentation, Amateur Radio Today, that tells Amateur Radio's public service story to nonhams. Directed by Dave Bell, W6AQ, and narrated by former CBS news anchorman Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD, the presentation runs approximately six minutes.
"We wanted to have something for people to take to nonhams and civic clubs," said ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP. Haynie also anticipates that the CD-ROM production will come in handy during his visits to Capitol Hill. Haynie recently wowed those attending the January ARRL Board meeting by playing--and distributing--draft copies of the disk. A slightly revised, final version is expected to be ready for distribution in early February.
The presentation focuses on Amateur Radio's role in emergency communications. Copyrighted by ARRL, the presentation is intended for personal, noncommercial use as a tool to showcase Amateur Radio in a manner that nonhams can relate to.
"Dozens of radio amateurs helped the police and fire departments and other emergency services maintain communications in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC," narrator Cronkite intones in reference to ham radio's response on September 11, 2001. "Their country asked, and they responded without reservation." Amateur Radio Today also highlights ham radio's part in helping various agencies respond to wildfires in the Western US during 2002 and mentions ham radio in space.
Haynie said he and Bell discussed the project, and Bell agreed to take it on. Alan Kaul, W6RCL, authored the script, and Keith Glispie, WA6TFD, edited the production edited the production at Suite Sixteen, a production facility in Burbank, California, that he co-owns. Haynie said Bell, Kaul and Glispie donated a lot of their own time and effort in making the video presentation a reality.
 ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, delivered initial copies of the Amateur Radio Today CD-ROM to ARRL Headquarters when he was in Connecticut for the January ARRL Board of Directors meeting. |
"Someone once said, and it's probably true, that Amateur Radio is the only fail-safe communications system in the world," Cronkite says in his final remarks, noting that he has ham gear aboard his sailboat. "It really is the best back-up communications system in the world," he concludes, adding, "and that's the way it is." That phrase was the one Cronkite always used to close out his nightly newscasts during his tenure with CBS.
Individuals may order a copy of the Amateur Radio Today CD-ROM (approximately 70 MB) from the ARRL on-line catalog. Plans are under way to also make Amateur Radio Today available in other video formats if there is sufficient demand. ARRL will make the presentation available for downloading from its Web site as soon as the final version is available. All that's needed to show the presentation to a group is a laptop computer with a CD drive plus a large monitor or a video projector and screen.
Haynie says Amateur Radio Today is the first in a planned series of at least three presentations. The second will point up the "fun" aspects of Amateur Radio. The third--but not necessarily the last--will offer a tour of ARRL Headquarters and its activities on behalf of ham radio.
Bell, a Hollywood TV producer, is a past chairman of the ARRL Public Relations Committee. Kaul is an NBC Television producer. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, of Amateur Radio Newsline also assisted in the presentation's production.
Because of copyright restrictions, Amateur
Radio Today may not be broadcast, multicast or cablecast in any
manner. Those seeking to distribute copies of Amateur Radio Today must
contact ARRL for permission. To request permission, send your name and contact
information and a brief description of the intended use to ARRL Editorial and
Production Manager, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; permission@arrl.org.
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