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, or satellite television, in which the television signal is transmitted over-the-air by radio waves from a communications satellite and received by a satellite dish 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 broadcaster or television network is a telecommunications network for the distribution of television content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations, pay television providers or, in the United States, multichannel video programming distributors. Until the mid-1980s, broadcast programming on television in most countries of the world was dominated by a small number of terrestrial networks. Many early television networks such as the BBC, CBC, PBS, PTV, NBC or ABC in the US and in Australia 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.
In cable television, many governments, including the ones of the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, apply a must-carry regulation stating that forces a cable TV provider to carry the public interest programming, like locally licensed television stations, on a provider's system. In some countries, this "traditional" approach had been extended to the Internet information sources. Similar approach in other sectors, like telecommunications, is called universal service.
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.
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.
Instructional television (ITV) is the use of television programs for distance education. Educational television programs on instructional television may be less than one half hour long to help their integration into the classroom setting. These shows are often accompanied by teachers' guides that include material to help use this program in lessons. Instructional television programs in the United States have historically been shown during the daytime on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) stations. However, in the 21st century fewer public television stations devote their airtime to ITV than in the past, ITV programs are either seen on a digital subchannel of non-commercial educational public television station, or on a local educational-access television channel run by a public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable TV organization.
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.
A local franchise authority (LFA) is a United States local government organization that, together with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), regulates cable television service within the local government's area. In some cases the LFA is the state, while in others it might be a city, county, or municipality. The LFA is meant to address cable problems such as service related rates and charges, tier rates, customer service problems, franchise fees, signal quality, and the use of public, educational, and governmental (PEG) channels. When experiencing a problem with your cable television you should first contact the cable company itself, then the local franchise authorities, then the National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting, and finally the chairmen of the House and Senate subcommittees who oversee the FCC. Additional help can be found on the web page of the Federal Communications Commission.
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 (MCC) 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.
There are several media outlets in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the United States. These outlets serve Grand Rapids and the surrounding metropolitan 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 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.
The Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992 is a United States federal law which required cable television systems to carry most local broadcast television channels and prohibited cable operators from charging local broadcasters to carry their signal.
