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Professor outlines three-state community media center, seeks Frostburg participation
Summary
Dr. John Lombardi presented a Appalachian Regional Commission–funded plan for a three-state community media center that would offer training, rentable studios and equipment, and membership discounts; he said an informational session for Frostburg residents is planned for mid next month.
Dr. John Lombardi presented a plan for a new "three-state community media center" funded by an Appalachian Regional Commission grant, telling the Frostburg City Council at its work session that the center will offer training, equipment rentals and rentable studio space to community members, businesses and nonprofits.
The center aims to provide customized training in podcasting, long-form and short-form video, and audience-targeting strategies, Lombardi said. "The point of the media center is to be a go to place for community members, small businesses, large businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, whatever, to come to us to help you, to be able to create more engaging media content," he said. He described both small-group and larger training options and an audio podcasting suite, editing space and a high-definition television studio as potential facilities.
Lombardi said the project was launched with an Appalachian Regional Commission grant and is intended primarily to serve a regional area that includes western Maryland counties and specified counties in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. He told the council the center will rent equipment ranging from professional video gear to mobile-device peripherals and that membership will come in two tiers: a free membership and a paid membership that provides discounts on facility and equipment rental and training. He said students, nonprofits and seniors would pay reduced rates.
He also described an educational component that would involve students in training activities to support both student learning and community needs. Lombardi said he has distributed an overview and a QR code linking to the center's website; inquiries via the website email will come directly to him.
During a brief question-and-answer exchange, council members asked how costs are determined. Lombardi said paid membership levels vary by category and that there is flexibility for larger groups requiring training. He compared the center to relatively few existing facilities in the state and cited Carroll County and Montgomery County as examples of nearby centers for cost comparison.
Lombardi said he has made indirect outreach to Frostburg and is working with an economic development contact named Marissa (Bowen or Miller) in Albion County; he said he hopes to schedule an informational session for interested Frostburg community members in mid next month. No formal council action or vote on the proposal was taken at the work session.
The council's next procedural steps were not specified during the presentation; Lombardi invited follow-up questions via the contact information provided on the handout and QR code.
