Page 420 - Battleground The Media Volume 1 and 2

Publ c Access Telev s on |

public access television. As of this writing, 23 states have either passed statewide
legislation or have bills pending. Though federal bills sponsored by telecom-
munications companies seeking entrance to the television market failed, these
continued assaults have raised alarms throughout the public access community.

PuBLiC aCCEss anD EmErging TEChnoLogiEs

In an era of media convergence, many understand that public access centers
need to stay relevant, but this does not mean that public access workers need
attend the latest industry trade shows to survey new gadgets. To follow the
unique mission of public access television would mean, rather, that it would
take up the watchdog role of examining the convergence of media critically. Is
the convergence being driven socially or commercially? Is this new develop-
ment simply a better way to sell advertising and products? In terms of conver-
gence branded as a “triple play” of services, whose interest is served, that of the
communities or that of the media corporations?
The mission of public access television has not changed even as the technol-
ogy has advanced. An access center’s relationship to the community is still the
same. Residents are trained to use technology, and centers continue to provide
distribution whether the mechanism is television or the Internet. The ideals
championed by George Stoney and the video collectives of the counterculture
remain access’s legacy into the digital age. Many access centers are introducing
programs to teach community members how to produce video for the Web.
Video blogging classes are increasing the community of producers and plac-
ing that community into a global environment. In these times, public access
centers are becoming aggregators of media and information, collectors and
distributors of digital files that are relevant and valuable to the communities
they serve.

rEaLizing a uToPian vision
Above all, public access television requires a utopian sensibility when looking
at its prospect and processes. Paraphrasing the words of DeeDee Halleck, founder
of Paper Tiger Television and consummate advocate for community media, pub-
lic access is romantic, just as democracy, liberty, and the First Amendment are
romantic. They are ideals valued and defended in the social consciousness of an
autonomous people.
Today, public access TV is the incomplete promise of community media, and
remains an unrealized ideal for direct democracy through civic engagement
with media making.
see also Alternative Media in the United States; Cable Carriage Disputes; Com-
munication Rights in a Global Context; Global Community Media; Hypercom-
mercialism; Media Literacy; Media Reform; Media Watch Groups; Minority
Media Ownership; Net Neutrality; Pirate Radio; Public Broadcasting Service;
Ratings; World Cinema.