History of Community Access TV
The ability for individuals or organization to communicate through cable television for little or no cost is a valuable resource for a community. Messages can be expressed in their entirety – no sound bites or recaps – from the local person closest to the source of information. Community access television creates the arena for freedom of speech, as each producer takes responsibility for the message submitted.
In July of 1971 the FCC required cable systems to provide up to three access channels for public, educational, and local government use (PEG). Cable companies were also required to provide facilities and equipment with which people could produce shows.
In 1984, the ‘1984 Cable and Franchise Policy and Communications Act’, was enacted guaranteeing funding from U.S. cable companies, to local organizations that provide training and access to media technology and cable distribution on the local cable systems.
Commonly referred to as community or public access television, this act ensures the ability of private citizens to create media that enriches communities with community-initiated and produced programming, or addresses local issues and concerns, which are distributed on the cable channels.
The reasoning behind the act is that cable companies use public by-ways, such as sidewalks and roads to run cable wires, and should therefore give something back to the community. The solution was that cable companies would provide a percentage of cable TV subscription fees revenue to public access cable systems.
