Main Street USA: DCTV Cybercar Goes Across America

This past summer, DCTV took clips from the videos we shot at Ground Zero, in Afghanistan and in Iraq, and showed them to Americans in towns across the country.

Main Street USA combined the state-of-the-art technology of the Cybercar and verité-style documentary reports for a pulse-taking voyage across America. On Main Streets in cities like Jonesborough, Tennessee; Palestine, Arkansas; Yazoo City, Mississippi; and East Saint Louis, Illinois, Americans spoke up about their feelings and concerns on the second anniversary of the devastating attacks of September 11th, 2001.

DCTV teamed up with NextNext Entertainment and Link TV to produce Main Street USA. with support from the Shei-rah Foundation, NHK TV and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Through this program, the Cybercar brought the world to Main Street, America and enabled us to bring Main Street, America to the world. The Cybercar was shrink-wrapped with a map of the United States, formed out of the faces of DCTV staff, interns and friends. With our Times Square style video wall attracted crowds. We rolled into cities and hamlets to hold town meetings. We showed our tapes to get the discussion rolling. We also shot documentary portraits of the towns and wove these opinions and local color into a documentary that was broadcast in Japan by NHK TV and in the United States on Link TV.

The Cybercar is a unique state-of-the-art vehicle with satellite technology that can link any points in the globe with broadcast quality video. It recently hosted live elections coverage from New Hampshire for Free Speech TV and the Manhattan Neighborhood Network. The Cybercar also takes DCTV back to its roots. Our first tapes were shown in street corner in Chinatown 32 year ago. The people in the photo have aged ­ our commitment to community service and innovation has not.

DCTV wishes to thank AVID Technologies, Globalstreams, Miranda Technologies, Panasonic, Saco Technologies, British Telcom, FreeSpeechTV, White & Case LLP and the many towns that participated in this program. For more information or for purchasing tapes, contact DCTV’s distribution director, Ingrid Erickson (212) 966-4510 x233


Main Street USA ­ Tour Journal By: Blake Strotkamp

8/22 - Coney Island, NY: Before leaving New York for the Main Street USA tour, the Cybercar made one local stop: In front of the world famous Cyclone roller coaster at Coney Island, where New Yorkers have gone to play for decades. Competition for an audience was fierce, between the rides, the food, and a game of “Shoot the Freak.” Exciting, dirty, and unique, Coney Island is quintessential New York, and the perfect place to start a tour of America.

8/23 - Paterson, NJ: The first stop on the Cybercar tour was the site of the Paterson Puerto Rican Festival. The Cybercar crew had its first taste of road life, and its first dish of fried everything, which soon became a staple of the Cybercar diet.

8/25 - Charlottesville, VA: The Cybercar started the first full week of the tour at the home of the University of Virginia. Buildings designed by Thomas Jefferson and winding streets provided an interesting backdrop, while incoming freshmen and locals shared their views on world and local politics.

8/26 - King, NC: Welcome to Andy Griffith country! We pulled up to the Stratford BBQ around 8 a.m. just in time to catch a few of the locals enjoying a delicious breakfast of pork tenderloin biscuits. After sharing some surprising political views and showing off some classic cars, the locals suggested a lunch of pork chop sandwiches. Maybe next time…

8/27 - Jonesborough, TN: Jonesborough is the Storytelling Capital of America, as well as the oldest settlement in Tennessee. The Cybercar rested outside a 200 year-old hotel, just down the street from Andrew Jackson’s home. Before meeting the resident storyteller, the mayor, led us on a tour on foot and in a horse-drawn carriage.

8/28 - Palestine, AR: In American life, there are few towns less like New York City than Palestine. A population of 741 makes it easy to know everyone. It’s the kind of town where it’s safe to leave the keys in the car, even the police car- until Jon Alpert and the Cybercar show up. After trading a rented Jaguar convertible for a souped-up squad car, Sheriff Jon terrorized and ticketed everyone in town, sentencing them to attend the Cybercar Town Meeting.

8/29 - Yazoo City, MS:The Gateway to the Delta provided a unique Cybercar experiences. Only a few years ago, Yazoo City was divided by segregation. Today, racial tension still exists. Yazoo has its first black mayor. The mayor hosted the Town Meeting, which included cheerleaders, dancers, and the one and only Blind Bud Spiers, a musician who embodies the blues. Get your copy of Main Street, USA to catch his original composition: “The Cybercar Blues.” (for tape sales contact web@dctvny.org)

8/31 - East Saint. Louis, IL: When we told people that we were planning on stopping in East Saint. Louis, the reactions were pretty uniform: “Are you crazy?” and “Expect to be shot at.” East Saint. Louis has a reputation as one of the poorest, most crime-ridden cities in the United States. We found entire streets almost completely abandoned, with businesses boarded up and shut down. We also found one of the most passionate and concerned Cybercar audiences yet. The people of East Saint Louis received us with open arms and loud voices. An entire city that has been all but forgotten needs a voice, and for one night, they had it. Local rap artists provided the entertainment, and hosted a VIP party on their bus.

9/01 - Casey, IL: Casey is only a few hours from East Saint. Louis, yet it seems like another world. A population of 3,000, mostly middle class and farming families, make up this city, home of the Casey Popcorn Festival. We were entertained by a local church’s stick dancing youth, and met a man who hand-built an impressive 9/11 memorial. They bid the Cybercar a fond farewell, not knowing that it would spend the next few hours stranded in a ditch outside of town. A tow truck operator was glad to lend a hand, but begged us to revoke Jon’s Bus Driver’s License. We did.

9/02 - Anderson, IN: After taking a few hours to recover, the Cybercar was ready for action. Our fearless driver, Doug Payne, took the bus out onto Anderson Speedway, (The country’s steepest-banked, fastest 1/4-mile oval) to compete with Anderson’s favorite racer, Sammy Hawkins. Following a humiliating defeat, we adjourned to the revitalized downtown for a Cybercar Town Hall meeting, hosted by Sammy and attended by local firemen.

9/06 - Woodstock, NY: Peace, love, and tattoos. The Woodstock Tattoo and Body Arts Festival brought us to our final Main Street. The hopes of a generation seem to live on here. The Cybercar Town Hall Meeting was kicked off with music by Stony Clove Lane, a local favorite. Afterwards, Grandpa Woodstock sent us on our way with wishes for peace, love, and happiness If you want the Cybercar to visit your community ­ contact: quinn@dctvny.org