Amherst Community Television
[ Home ] [Slide show 1987] [Slide show 2000] [Author info]
[History] [Research info] [SMECC Contact info] [ACTV]

Established-2007, © 2007 istarr, Last update: March 19, 2007

HISTORY

10^th anniversary celebration of continuous programming
by Irene Starr
[written in 1988]

      AMHERST COMMUNITY TELEVISION (ACT) is a non-profit community service which brings locally produced television to Amherst viewers by operating the Amherst's cable television channel provided under the contract between the Town and Dimension Cable.  Programming reflects local interests and needs.

      ACT (formerly CCATV) was established in 1975-76 as an outgrowth of meetings initiated by the Town's Cable Advisory Committee in 1975.  ACT opened in 1977 after the Town and cable company agreed to a joint approach to public access whereby ACT volunteers would operate facilities for equipment access, training, production, and cablecasting while the cable company would provide basic equipment and a small stipend.  Limited special programming was shown on a shared channel before 1978 but continuous programming  began ten years ago -- on March 12, 1978.

      Although public access in Amherst developed from the vision and energy of volunteers, ACT learned that it could not remain viable solely by means of volunteer effort.  ACT's mission of bringing local television to Amherst became attainable after additional negotiations with the cable company in 1982 and again in 1985.  The latter, during refranchising, provided for a professional director and staff as well as additional equipment and operating funds.  The major unfulfilled need remains a suitable location with a proper space for a studio.

      ACT's Channel 10 now airs programs several evenings each week that are produced or sponsored by community volunteers as well as a Community Calendar with local events and job openings.  The schedule is listed in local newspapers.  Town Meeting (live) and Selectboard meetings receive complete coverage.  ACT gives workshops in video production fundamentals along with assistance and encouragement throughout the production process.  A volunteer group of experienced and beginning producers meets at the Jones Library on the third 1Tuesday of each month to exchange ideas and information.  The office is open weekdays from 9 to 5 and by appointment.

[Click here for a list of those who created CCATV]

Town of Amherst
CABLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
PEG Programming, Organization and Management
2005 DRAFT, by Bill Venman

            Introduction.  In a paper by Bill Olson, "The History of Public Access Television." (1) Olson summarizes the raison d'etre behind the effort to obtain access to cable television. "Mass media have never guaranteed access by the common man." (2) Olson's paper provides an overview of attempts to involve the public in mass media, including cable television, and provides the background for the next few paragraphs, but what is significant here is the way in which public access television became a reality in Amherst and where it is in 2005.  This is followed by a discussion of how it ought to be programmed, organized and managed in the future.

            Background. Public access cable television in Amherst began in the mid-1970s. A group of video enthusiasts joined together to successfully petition Amherst's cable provider, Pioneer Valley Cablevision, to provide space, equipment, and a channel to allow them to produce and present local programming. They did this under the provisions of a 1976 amendment to the 1972 FCC Third Report and Order which required all cable television systems in the top 100 markets to provide three access channels, one each for educational, local government and public use. The 1976 amendment expanded the requirement to include systems with 3,500 or more subscribers, which included Amherst. The amendment was subsequently successfully challenged in court, but several communities, including Amherst, had already written franchise agreements that had relied on the FCC's order.

            The group incorporated as the non-profit Center for Community Access Television (CCATV), beginning with a large, hard-to-heat studio in a warehouse near Clifton Street and moving to a small office/studio at 358 North Pleasant Street due to high heating costs. Their Board of Directors included grant writers, producers of programs, academics, and a representative of the University's School of Education, which had had a substantial educational television component.

            Then in October 1984, just as the Town was preparing to negotiate a renewal license for its cable provider, Congress passed the Cable Communications Act, Public Law 98-549, which restored much of what had been lost by the 1976 court decision, and allowed local governments to require "public, educational or government" (PEG, the acronym for Public, Educational and Governmental access) channels. It also barred cable operators from exercising editorial control over content of programs carried on PEG channels and absolved them from liability for that content.

            The negotiations reached a successful conclusion with the granting of the Town's second cable television license beginning July 1, 1986. Licenses typically run for 10 years. The Town negotiated its third license, which became effective on July 1, 1996 and will expire on June 30, 2006. At this writing the Town is preparing to negotiate another license renewal which if successful will become effective on July 1, 2006. (Over the years a number of companies have held the license, succeeding one another in fairly rapid order. Our current provider, with whom we are in negotiations as this is being written, is Comcast.)

            The 1986 and 1996 licenses both took maximum advantage of the provisions of the 1984 Act with respect to PEG. In each of the licenses the provider was required to provide three channels and operating and capital support for PEG. The maximum amount that can by law be required for operations is 5% of the operator's gross annual revenue from cable television operations. There is no maximum for capital support.

            Until fairly recently neither the Town nor the schools have had the capacity to assume responsibility for programming, operating and managing PEG, however. In the two renewal licenses in which support for PEG figured, this responsibility was contracted out to CCATV (which subsequently was renamed Amherst Community Television (ACTV). This was a convenient and by and large successful way of shunting aside something in which neither the Town government nor the schools had any real interest, let alone capacity.  

Pictures and Text of CCATV SLIDE/TAPE PRODUCTION

December 1987 version, by Irene Starr
slides from 1984  
(best if browser window maximized
click photos to see larger version)

<<(slides-jpg 3)(4)(28)

Having its own television station is one of Amherst, Massachusetts' many assets.

1 1a2

^^(1) This unusual TV station is CCATV which stands for (1a) the Center for Community Access Television - an appropriate name since programs emphasize (2)local people, events, >>(5)issues, and concerns.  What distinguishes CCATV from the typical television station is that citizens are encouraged to participate in all aspects and are assisted to produce their own television programs.

>>(6)Age is the Rage, Report from the Schools, and Amherst Journal
are among the series produced by local residents.

17

192021

2225

242627

<<(22)In addition to the above series, special programs are presented live.  (25)Perhaps the best example is the semi annual Town Meeting.  (24)This requires a large crew for many long evenings.  (26)Operating cameras, controlling sound, directing, (27) technical work, and commentary are done by the small staff with a large group of volunteers.  Informal surveys indicate that this is CCATV's most popular program.

3335
[James Baldwin]

363738

404142

^^The variety of programs is remarkable for a non-profit public access TV station with only one full time employee.  (40) The director must be a facilitator wearing many hats - (41) Working with people is most important whether teaching equipment operation, (42) preparing talent and crew for a production or listening to peoples’ ideas.  pause. >>(47)Leadership and management skills are also necessary.  

575658

^^If you are interested in any aspect of CCATV, you are invited to visit the station, (57) at 358 N. Pleasant St, (56)near the center of Amherst.  (58)Frequent buses stop in front of the building. >>(59)Parking is near the back entrance.

606162

63

Pictures and Text of Slide History for ACTV's 25th Celebration

November 2000 version, by Irene Starr
slides from 1984

12	1.          CCATV-edit suite - (I remember my excitement at learning how to make this split slide!)   2.          Location for several years - I moved us there so we would have a low fixed monthly expense for rent and utilities and be able to focus our energy on mission at a time that all staff were volunteers and funding was minimal!
34	3.          Local paper helped a lot with articles   4.          Amherst Journal's Ellen LaFleche getting ready to interview the head of  the Food Bank (notice bookcase on right)
56	5.          Superintendent Don Frizzle starred in Report from the Schools 6.          John Clobridge began Age is the Rage years ago
7	7.          Many events were covered such as the Amherst PTA rally - sign says good contract, good education. The speaker is long time teacher Brian McNamara (he taught my two sons in the 1980's). Meetings re the contract were where I first met Ellen Story.
89	8 &  9.          Joan Logan from the Wildwood Library starred in Telestory which I produced &  had partial funding from the Arts Council.
1011	10.      Carol Rothery in a rare quiet moment! She oversaw LWV programs on ACTV.   11.      Town Meeting - Tim Lindop (barely showing is Jenna Copen)
1213	12. and, on the left, first full-time director, Carol Kowalski. 13.      Volunteers are essential for TM. An active one was Janis Gray.
1415	14.      Back to that bookcase! It separated the studio corner from the director's office corner in a small all purpose room. 15.      Control Room and Editing Room. It also served as Entry.

History of the Collection
Acquired from: Irene Starr in January 1990
Contents List

SERIES I. Administrative, 1975-1989, n.d.

Irene Starr's bio:
(March 2007)

At a 1986 National
Federation of Local
Cable Programmers
conference.

After earning degrees in physics in the 1960's, I taught college physics labs (part-time) while my sons were young. In 1978, I learned about CCATV and was amazed that volunteers could produce television programs for a local cable channel in Amherst, a university town of 35,000 people. So I enrolled in workshops, volunteered as a production assistant, and gradually learned the technical, artistic, and administrative aspects of community TV. I became the director for a couple of years when all staffers were volunteers, and a board member for several years thereafter. The station's equipment in 1978 included a "portable" five pound black/white camera with video recorder (twenty pounds) and a primitive reel to reel editing system. In the 1980's, I received several arts grants to produce programs for CCATV. Some of my productions placed in local competitions, one was a finalist in a national competition, and another was shown at a Boston museum exhibit.

Although my interest was initially sparked by the creativity of video and the fascination with instant replay, what inspired me the most was children being able to see their own community on this powerful medium. My favorite feedback was a child telling a librarian, "I saw you on TV, did you see me watching?" The strangest comment was someone telling me they never watched the local channel shortly before telling me they saw my sons on TV (the local channel, of course). Indeed, children (including my sons) were enthusiastic about participating in the technical and performance parts of making children's programming for the channel. In addition, I was active in several community organizations and found that producing related programs was a new way to contribute.

My involvement in CCATV was the first step to a new career in educational technology and management, leading to academic positions and consulting. In 1980-82, I worked for the Union Video Center, and in 1989-2002, I headed the Foreign Language Resource Center, both at UMass Amherst. In recent years, my work includes managing my language-related website, volunteering to keep web pages for a few non-profit organizations, teaching math at a community college, and digital photography. I am grateful to my husband for his continuing interest in my work.

Everyday we rescue items you see on these pages!
What do you have hiding in a closet or garage?
What could you add to the museum displays or the library?

PLEASE CONTACT US!

===================

DONATE! Click the Button Below!

Thank you very much!

===================

Material © SMECC 2006 or by other owners