Did you know there is a TV channel broadcasting talks from DebConf +16 across an entire country? Or that there is a TV channel +broadcasting talks by or about +Linus Torvalds, +Tor, +OpenID, +Common Lisp, +Civic Tech, +EFF founder John Barlow, +how to make 3D +printer electronics and many more fascinating topics? It works +using only free software (all of it +available from Github), and +is administrated using a web browser and a web API.
+ +The TV channel is the Norwegian open channel +Frikanalen, and I am involved +via the NUUG member association in +running and developing the software for the channel. The channel is +organised as a member organisation where its members can upload and +broadcast what they want (think of it as Youtube for national +broadcasting television). Individuals can broadcast too. The time +slots are handled on a first come, first serve basis. Because the +channel have almost no viewers and very few active members, we can +experiment with TV technology without too much flack when we make +mistakes. And thanks to the few active members, most of the slots on +the schedule are free. I see this as an opportunity to spread +knowledge about technology and free software, and have a script I run +regularly to fill up all the open slots the next few days with +technology related video. The end result is a channel I like to +describe as Techno TV - filled with interesting talks and +presentations.
+ +It is available on channel 50 on the Norwegian national digital TV +network (RiksTV). It is also available as a multicast stream on +Uninett. And finally, it is available as +a WebM unicast stream from +Frikanalen and NUUG. Check it out. :)
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