If you’ve ever been on hand for one of the live tapings of "Women’s Network" at the Hacienda Community Room, you’re more than likely to have seen a well-dressed, well-mannered young man frantically scurrying from camera to van to camera to set, supervising the entire production. That young man is Jim Burt, the manager of Viacom 30.

Viacom 30 is the Valley’s local television channel. Channel 30 is largely funded by Viacom and there are no commercials. Certain shows do receive additional funding, however such as "Women’s Network" which is produced through a grant from Hacienda Business Park.

As manager of the 24-hour channel, Jim is responsible for “everything you see on the channel." "I do everything from typing up bulletins, to editing tapes, to filming events myself,” he explains. Jim does have occasional part-time help to assist him in viewing the countless tapes they receive from Valley residents.

A very important aspect of community television, that most people don’t realize, is that the channel will broadcast any tape submitted by any citizen. “As long as it's good quality and has a wide community interest, we’ll play it,” says Jim. If you don’t know how to film a "good quality" tape, Jim will even come out to your home to give you some pointers.

Although he is only 27, Jim has held his current position for almost three years. He was the originator of the job, when the channel was first created. Jim came to California from New York about five years ago and worked for Viacom 30 for about six months. While he was waiting for his present position to open up, he was offered a job with an advertising agency in Concord.

“It was a lot of fun, and I really learned a lot about business there,” Jim states. With an Associate of Arts Degree in Audio-Visual Technology and a Bachelors degree in Audio-Visual Communications from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Jim was well prepared for all of the various responsibilities at the advertising agency.

But Jim has always wanted to be in television work. “It started when I was in the fifth grade,” he remembers. “They brought in this huge camera to tape our school play; from then on that was all I wanted to do!” So when the Viacom 30 job was available, he applied and “everything just fell into place!” says Jim.

Jim loves California’s climate. He is a "sun-worshiper" and spends most of his free time in or around the pool. His sister, Terry Andrews, lives in Pleasanton; which is why he came here in the first place. “I came out to visit her at first. Then after I had been back in New York for a couple fo cold months, I knew where I wanted to be,” he laughs. “I’m happy right where I am!”

To see a reproduction of the original article and edition of Pleasanton Pathways, visit: October 15, 1984 Pathways.