This article was published in the Valley Business Journal in March 2020
Spectrum of Innovation™ Trusted News and Information in Riverside County
Finding news and information in Riverside County can be hard to come by. The region is classified as a media desert leaving local residents to rely on surrounding media coverage from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego to provide any information. Although these outlets produce a substantial amount of news, local Riverside County residents are often left out of knowing what is happening in their own backyard. Fortunately, for the past 16 months, Spectrum of Innovation™ has served as a go-to source for news and information in Riverside County with their local broadcast and online media coverage for the region.
The 30-minute program focuses on a range of topics that affect Riverside County residents and businesses from impactful local economic stories, to business and community spotlights, to innovative need-to-know stories along with some weather, traffic and community events. The goal of the show is to keep residents in-the-know with what they need-to-know within their own communities
The magazine-style newscast provides a localized regional approach as opposed to the breaking news coming from the networks. Spectrum of Innovation ™ informs, educates and enlightens while addressing important matters that affect the county as a whole with an emphasis on the communities of Southwest Riverside County, providing a service to the people who live there.
Spectrum of Innovation ™ is presented by JDS Creative Academy, a non-profit 501(c)(3) visual, performing and digital arts organization that aims to provide career pathway opportunities with education and hands-on training in multimedia digital arts.
“Working with this unique crew of industry professionals, apprentices and job training participants from Inland Regional Center who are adults with Autism and developmental disabilities, that we refer to as the SOI Crew, provides a productive, engaging and rewarding work environment. Our collaboration of doing and teaching embodies the same characteristics as a trade school to a population that is overlooked,” said Diane Strand, Founder of JDS Creative Academy & Executive Producer of Spectrum of Innovation™ .
Spectrum of Innovation ™ has a spin-off show, the SOI Update , a 10-minute news and information micro-version of the full program presented by the job-training participants with guidance from the industry professional mentors. The SOI Update streams LIVE two to three times a week covering local sports, weather, community events and road closures. In January 2020, The SOI Update started going beyond television and is now providing news and information on the radio. Non-profit JDS Creative Academy is now in partnership with The Vine, 102.5 delivering the S.W.I.E.T. Spot (Southwest Inland Empire Talk) SOI News Update.
The SOI training crew has the opportunity to learn hands-on skills in a variety of professions from video production, to radio broadcasting, to digital multimedia such as producing, directing, writing, DJ hosting, voice-over, audio, editing, lighting, technical streaming skills, costumes, sets, acting, makeup, scheduling, logistics and professional soft skills, all in a busy work-based culture.
Spectrum of Innovation ™ wants you to be “In the Know.” The show can be found on Temecula and Murrieta Community Access stations and RivCo TV throughout the county. Head over to spectrumofinnovation.org to catch all previous episodes and individual segments. Subscribe and follow Spectrum of Innovation™ on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Story ideas and suggestions are welcome.