California’s community colleges had a largely unused satellite system. California State University, Dominguez Hills was producing hours of quality educational broadcasting that few people outside of the area had access to.

But then, like that old commercial featuring the guy with the chocolate bumping into the guy with the peanut butter, the two sides joined forces. The result is 20 hours of live interactive educational television broadcast to communities across the state.

“They have been under some pressure to come up with original programming,” said Warren Ashley, director of the Mediated Instruction and Distance Learning programs at the Carson campus. “That’s one of the things we can do. Our programming is live. That’s as original as it gets. And we only air things once.”

Dominguez Hills is home to the state college system’s largest distance learning program, which includes Internet and television classes. In fact, nearly one-third of the state’s 30,000 students who take online classes are enrolled through the campus. It offers eight online degree programs.

But this is the first time it has teamed with community colleges to use their satellite.

“We’ve been webcasting since 1999, but a lot of people aren’t at the point where they’re ready to start viewing a TV broadcast on their computer,” Ashley said. “The really great thing about this is it allows people to use the technology of the lowest common denominator — television — to be able to access this programming that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to see.”

Among the courses being offered are two for high school students that will allow them to earn college credit, classes for seniors and teacher education courses that will help complete credentials.

Instead of being shot in a classroom, Ashley said they try for something with a more professional feel with desks and video images.

“We’re the poor man’s CNN,” he said. “We’re trying to use technology as dynamically as we can.”

Edward Whetmore, chairman of the communications department at Dominguez Hills, called the program a pioneer.

“It’s an innovative program, the first of its kind,” he said. “At Dominguez Hills, we have a history of outreach to a very diverse community. Obviously we all know the difficulty we’re going through in terms of the budget. If there’s anything we can do to make us more effective and efficient, we want to explore those options.”b For more information about the Dominguez Hills distance learning program or for television schedules call 310-243-2288 or visit http://dominguezonline.csudh.edu.