The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce that serves as the President's principal adviser on telecommunications policies pertaining to the United States' economic and technological advancement and to regulation of the telecommunications industry.
Public-access television is traditionally a form of non-commercial mass media where the general public can create content television programming which is narrowcast through cable television specialty channels. Public-access television was created in the United States between 1969 and 1971 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), under Chairman Dean Burch, based on pioneering work and advocacy of George Stoney, Red Burns, and Sidney Dean.
TV3, owned and operated by Medford Community Cablevision, Inc., is a public-access television channel serving Medford, Massachusetts. It was created by mandate of the 1984 Cable Franchise Policy and Communications Act. The channel's current facilities are located at 5 High Street, under then-U.S. Representative Ed Markey's office in Medford Square. Medford Community Cablevision oversees the community's public access television on Comcast channel 3. It functions as both a production facility as well as a telecast station. In 2010 the station unveiled new services to the community including video on demand and 24/7 streaming video services on its website.
George Cashel Stoney was an American documentary filmmaker, educator, and the "father of public-access television." Among his films were Palmour Street, A Study of Family Life (1949), All My Babies (1953), How the Myth Was Made (1979) and The Uprising of '34 (1995). All My Babies was entered into the National Film Registry in 2002. Stoney's life and work were the subject of a Festschrift volume of the journal Wide Angle in 1999.
The Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 was an act of Congress passed on October 30, 1984 to promote competition and deregulate the cable television industry. The act established a national policy for the regulation of cable television communications by federal, state, and local authorities. Conservative Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona wrote and supported the act, which amended the Communications Act of 1934 with the insertion of "Title VI—Cable Communications". After more than three years of debate, six provisions were enacted to represent the intricate compromise between cable operators and municipalities.
Arlington Independent Media (AIM), formerly Arlington Community Television, is a non-profit membership organization providing television production training workshops and professional production facilities, as well as the public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable TV channel on Comcast channel 69, and Verizon FIOS channel 38 in Arlington County, Virginia, United States.
Community television in Canada is a form of media that carries programming of local community interest produced by a cable television company and by independent community groups and distributed by a local cable company.
Michigan Government Television (MGTV) was a public affairs Government-access television (GATV) cable TV channel. Modeled on C-SPAN, its programming covered events and proceedings within the state government, including sessions of the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate.
Community media are any form of media that function in service of or by a community. It is the rise of all kinds of alternative, oppositional, participatory and collaborative media practices that have developed in the journalistic context of ‘community media,’ ‘we media,’ ‘citizens media,’ ‘grassroot journalism’ or any radical alternative to on and offline mainstream journalistic practices. In other words, it is having access to or creating local alternatives to mainstream broadcasting, like local community newspapers, radio stations, or magazines. Community Media aids in the process of building citizenship and raising social awareness. "Participation" and "access" are a large aspect in the rise of community media. Those who create media are being encouraged to involve themselves in providing a platform for others to express views. Community media is often given parameters when being defined by groups, but often challenges these boundaries with its broad yet narrow structure.
Citizens Television (CTV) is a Public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable TV network based in Hamden, New Haven, and West Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1991, the network consists of three separate channels seen in New Haven, Hamden, and West Haven. According to its website, Citizens Television "exists only because of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. We protect it, and it protects us. All of us!" The station's stated purpose is to encourage its viewers to exercise their legal right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression through CTV. The station is financially supported by viewer donations.
UChannel is a consortium of universities that makes public affairs lectures available to a general audience by distributing free video and audio recordings in many digital formats – for streaming, downloading and broadcast. It was originally launched as the University Channel.
Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV) is a public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable television service in Chicago, Illinois. The organization is funded by cable companies as part of their cable franchise agreements with the City of Chicago. The companies are also required by law to carry the network's five channels.
There are several media outlets in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the United States. These outlets serve Grand Rapids and the surrounding metropolitan area.
The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) is a US-based professional membership association that provides support to members on the many local, state, and federal communications laws, administrative rulings, judicial decisions, and technology issues impacting the interests of local governments. Founded in 1980, NATOA offers a wide range of advocacy services to individual and agency members representing cities, towns, counties and commissions across the country. NATOA has a headquarters office in Alexandria, VA, and is served by a twelve-member volunteer board of directors composed of members from across the country.
Community television is a form of mass media in which a television station is owned, operated or programmed by a community group to provide television programs of local interest known as local programming.
American Democracy Television (ADTV) provides nonpartisan programming about representative democracy to Public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable TV channels across the United States.
The Alliance for Representative Democracy is an USA based organization that is a partnership between the Trust for Representative Democracy at the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Center on Congress at Indiana University, and the Center for Civic Education. The Alliance launched the Representative Democracy in America: Voices of the People project to introduce citizens to the critical relationship between government and the people it serves. The project introduces citizens, particularly young people, to the representatives, institutions, and processes that serve to realize the goal of a government of, by, and for the people.
Seattle Community Access Network (SCAN) is one of the Public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable television channels in Seattle, Washington. The station provides camera equipment, television studios and training that allow residents of King County to create and cablecast their own television shows for a small fee. The station is carried on Comcast and Broadstripe cable systems in King County and the greater Puget Sound region except for six cities covered by Puget Sound Access.
Access Tucson was a public access station located in Tucson, Arizona operated by The Tucson Community Cable Corporation. The station was started in 1984 by founder and president Sam Behrend. The station was originally located at 124 E. Broadway and focused on a variety shows from local matters, politics and religious issues. Its funding came from a combination of public, educational and government access television (PEG) support from the local cable television provider, fees for classes and membership, donations and fundraising efforts.
NSTV, also known as North Shore TV, is a public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable television network on Long Island, New York, cablecasting on Channel 20 Cablevision and Channel 37 Verizon FiOS channels in 14 incorporated villages in the Great Neck and Manhasset areas on the North Shore of Long Island. It was launched in 1984 as PATV, rebranded as NSTV in 2019. NSTV is located in Lake Success, New York. NSTV has received awards for Overall Excellence in Public Access and two New York Emmy nominations in the Military Program category.
