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TOP NEWS

Tuesday, August 21, 2001, Last Updated, 11:00 p.m.

CITY 16 Begins Airing Spanish Language Show 'Ahora San Luis'

Donna Brooks, video productions manager for CITY 16, the City of St. Louis' local government access channel via Charter Communications.

by Bob Moore, SLFP.com

ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), August 21, 2001 - Several months ago, CITY 16, the City of St. Louis' local government access channel, began exploring the concept of developing specific programing for growing ethnic communities in the metropolitan area.

CITY 16 is located in the City's Communication Division on Oakland near the St. Louis Science Center. Donna Brooks, video production manager, talked about her vision to facilitate a greater understanding of how city government works.

Brooks stated there has been considerable growth in St. Louis' Spanish/Latino community, Bosnian community and Asian community. "Several months ago, we began what we call a Cultural Progam Initiative to essentially market programs towards the various ethnic communities in St. Louis. We are attempting to produce programs geared for those communities."

She acknowledged that they are bringing in representatives from those communities to talk about services, recreational activities and planned events. "We are also taking a look at how government works and what services are being provided. We are trying to further extend the arm of government into those communities so those individuals know where the various services are available to them through the City," she stated.

Ahora San Luis is produced on location at CITY 16 and hosted by Hispanic community activist Gilberto Pinela and Cecilia Vela'zquez of the Latin Network Newspaper. Brooks noted that the hosts are given a lot of program latitude and are really charting the direction of the show. "We went on location to events such as the Hispanic/Latino Day at Busch Stadium, the Hispanic Festival, and Cinco de Mayo festivals," she said.

(L. to R.) Student interns Mike Luebbers, Frank Wachowe, Alison Driscoll and Peter Cherry talk with Donna Brooks (second from right) on the multi-purpose studio at CITY 16, located in the City's Communication Division on Oakland.

Brooks also commented that Ahora San Luis is produced in Spanish only. "In America, we are pretty much a dual language society being English and Spanish. Still there are many segments of our population who still speak in their native tongue. So there is a barrier that continues to exist." She stated that CITY 16 is also looking into expanding the concept of doing non mainstream programs for other ethnic groups. "There is a lot of room for us to open the doors and do it," she concluded.

Ahora San Luis is currently available only on Charter Communications in the City. It can be seen every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30 p.m. and on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. on CITY 16.

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