The Satellite coworking space and digital media studio might be one of the best kept secrets in Santa Cruz. A shared workspace located near the heart of downtown, the Satellite is also home to Community Television (CTV) of Santa Cruz County, a 501c3 non-profit organization that “provides tools, training and programming to foster dialogue, civic engagement and self-expression through television, the internet and other digital media.”

In a nutshell, the Satellite is a full-fledged media studio for digital creatives of all types, including video producers, podcasters, visual creatives and much more, paired with the resources and reach of our local Community TV.

Santa Cruz Works connected with CTV executive director Becca King Reed to learn more about the digital media offerings and the power of shared workspace. We also touched on the partnership between CTV and the Satellite Workspace brand, which has seven spaces across California and whose founder and CEO, Barbara Sprenger, was recently awarded a patent for Satellite Deskworks, her coworking software.

Santa Cruz Works: Satellite Santa Cruz is an amazing community resource. What do you want people to know about the space, equipment and community?

Becca King Reed: We’d like people to know we have a comfortable, friendly workspace with onsite parking where everyone and their dog is welcome.

Members often meet over the toaster at the snack bar where we provide fresh bagels and cream cheese to get you started on Mondays and DIY espressos and other coffee drinks to get you to 5 o’clock on Fridays.

The community is an eclectic group. Members include entrepreneurs in construction, high tech, clothing, accounting, law and psychology to name a few. For our digital media professionals, we are, as one member put it, “Perfect! There is no where else you can work that has all this.”

We are a coworking space and digital media studio. For video producers, photographers, podcasters and graphic artists we have many special amenities beyond work, office and conference space.

Members can reserve our television studio, audio/podcast booth, edit suites and our newest addition, the “Really Simple Video Place” or RSVP. This is a small video studio that one person can run with the push of one button. It’s perfect for recording presentations, interviews, demonstrations or video resumes. We also have a wide array of professional video equipment that can be rented at our low non-profit prices.

How has the partnership with Satellite Workspace benefited the local community of creatives and business owners?

The partnership has really benefited CTV and its member-producers. The coworking space provides a steady revenue stream that plays a significant role in CTV’s livelihood.

Creatives can enhance their credibility with new clients by meeting in a professional atmosphere geared to digital media production. They can take their clients through the studio and edit suites inspiring trust and building value. We make high-quality equipment and facilities available to local video producers and photographers so they can be competitive in the marketplace without having to invest in expensive equipment and space.

A producer can rent equipment from CTV, like a crane, that will really add production value to their project without spending a fortune or driving to the Bay Area to pick-up and return it.

What's your vision for Satellite Santa Cruz moving forward? What would you most like to see?

We would like to develop a thriving community where business and creativity meet. We’d like to be seen as a resource for local producers and digital artists of all disciplines. Our intent is to give them an edge in a competitive field by providing equipment and space that helps to raise the quality of their work and keeps costs low.