TEMECULA – As a Riverside County resident, it can be difficult to be aware of local happenings and need-to-know information taking place in your own backyard. For most, community news in Riverside County is hard to come by. The region gets lost in between San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties and often only receives attention when something tragic happens. JDS Creative Academy began producing “Spirit of Innovation,” a magazine-style television show, to provide impactful news and information coverage for Riverside County that is timely and relevant.
Instead of focusing on breaking events, the outlet covers community news and innovation happening throughout the region and spotlights local businesses. Riverside County residents can view the show on Murrieta and Temecula’s community access stations, Rivco TV, YouTube and the http://spiritofinnovation.org.
The magazine-style show isn’t only an outlet to inform Riverside County residents. JDS Creative Academy, the nonprofit organization behind “Spirit of Innovation,” aimed to educate adults with special needs and mainstream. The show is produced by a unique crew that includes: industry professionals, adults with developmental disabilities enrolled in JDSCA’s video production Title 17 job-training program and college graduates and students participating in JDSCA’s California State-Approved Apprenticeship Program.
The broadcast television production, along with its affiliated job-training programs, is the first of its kind. Spirit of Innovation’s spin-off show, “SOI Update,” is getting ready to return in April after a yearlong hiatus due to COVID-19. The 10-minute news and information micro version of the full program is presented solely by job-training participants with guidance from industry professional instructors. In January 2020, “SOI Update” ventured beyond the television format and provides news and information on the radio through a partnership with 102.5-FM The Vine, delivering the “JDS Creative Academy News Update” seven days a week three times a day.
The production involved with the television and radio shows provides career pathway opportunities for these special-needs adults and college students looking for a break in the industry. Whether it is writing segments, working on digital marketing, going out on shoots, learning post-production or interacting with the community, “Spirit of Innovation,” “SOI Update” and “JDS Creative News Update” allow participants, students and apprentices to build the confidence that’s required in a highly competitive marketplace.
“Spirit of Innovation” airs monthly the last Thursday of each month. Tune in April 29, for the next livestreamed episode or find previous shows and segments on http://spiritofinnovation.org and on YouTube at SOI News.
Submitted by JDS Creative Academy.
