Cable television is a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This contrasts with broadcast television, in which the television signal is transmitted over-the-air by radio waves and received by a television antenna attached to the television; or satellite television, in which the television signal is transmitted over-the-air by radio waves from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth, and received by a satellite dish antenna on the roof. FM radio programming, high-speed Internet, telephone services, and similar non-television services may also be provided through these cables. Analog television was standard in the 20th century, but since the 2000s, cable systems have been upgraded to digital cable operation.
A television network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay television providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small number of terrestrial networks. Many early television networks evolved from earlier radio networks.
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.
The Cable Public Affairs Channel, better known by its acronym CPAC, is a Canadian specialty channel owned by a consortium that includes among other part-owners Rogers Communications, Shaw Communications, Vidéotron, Cogeco, and Eastlink. The channel is devoted to coverage of public and government affairs, including carrying a full, uninterrupted feed of proceedings of the House of Commons of Canada, with three audio channels, one untreated feed and, with the assistance of interpreters, one in each of the official languages.
In cable television, governments apply a must-carry regulation stating that locally licensed television stations must be carried on a cable provider's system.
CobbTV is a Government-access television channel (GATV) cable TV channel in Cobb County, Georgia, seen on Comcast TV channel 23, and in ATSC clear QAM on digital cable channel 81.23. TV23 presents a variety of TV programming for the interest of Cobb County residents, including county commission and other local government meetings, educational and informational programming on various issues and services, and Cobb Traffic Watch LIVE, which features views from Cobb DOT and Georgia DOT traffic cameras in Cobb during weekday rush hours. Overnight, it now carries the Pentagon Channel, after previously carrying old educational TV programs.
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.
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.
WNIN is a PBS member television station in Evansville, Indiana, United States. Owned by WNIN Tri-State Public Media, it is sister to NPR member station WNIN-FM (88.3). The two outlets share studios in downtown Evansville and transmitter facilities near Pelzer, Indiana.
Cable television first became available in the United States in 1948. By 1989, 53 million U.S. households received cable television subscriptions, with 60 percent of all U.S. households doing so in 1992. Most cable viewers in the U.S. reside in the suburbs and tend to be middle class; cable television is less common in low income, urban, and rural areas.
Michigan Channel is an Educational-access television, Government-access television (GATV) and public affairs cable television channel based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, owned and operated by the University of Michigan, as part of the "Michigan Public Media" unit. The channel is available on cable channel 22 on the Comcast and University of Michigan cable systems in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and east-central Washtenaw County.
York Community Access Television (YCAT) was a Public-access television cable TV station in York, Pennsylvania.
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.
Seminole Government Television, or SGTV, is the Government-access television (GATV) and Educational-access television cable television channel in Seminole County, Florida.
The Madison City Channel is a Government-access television (GATV) cable television station operated by the City of Madison, Wisconsin. The channel airs live and archived meetings and events involving the governments of the City of Madison and Dane County; reports and announcements from and profiles of government officials and representatives; and programs on current events, issues, and services that affect the city and area.
North Metro TV, also known as "NMTV", is a community and Public, educational, and government access (PEG) television station servicing the cities of Blaine, Centerville, Circle Pines, Ham Lake, Lexington, Lino Lakes, and Spring Lake Park in the Twin Cities Northern Metro area in Minnesota.
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.
The Oregon Channel was a former public affairs television network in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was operated by a consortium consisting of Oregon Public Broadcasting, Southern Oregon Public Television, the Oregon Legislative Assembly, the Oregon University System and the Oregon Public Affairs Network (OPAN). It was carried on most cable television systems throughout Oregon either on a part-time or full-time basis as well as on the Internet. The station operated 24 hours a day.
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.
