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Press Release
Contact:
Barbara Berry, President
League of Women Voters Grand Traverse Area
Phone: 231-938-2848
Email: barbberry2@charter.net

Future of Public Access Television

The League of Women Voters – Grand Traverse Area will present a public forum on the “Future of Public Access Television” on March 26, 2008, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Traverse Area District Library on Woodmere Avenue.

Public access television is intended to give the public a “soapbox” on local cable television. Freedom of speech is vital to a democratic society, and public access to television airways, or “cable-ways,” is an important way for citizens to exercise that right.

Richard Lewis, Traverse City City Manager, will present an overview of the use of Public Educational and Governmental (PEG) channels in our region, how these channels have developed, where the funding comes from and where it goes, and the problems that have been encountered as townships have opted out of funding for tctv2, the present public access television channel. A panel of invited guests will be present to answer questions about channel 13 that is associated with Northwestern Michigan College, channel 98 that is used by Traverse City Area Public Schools, the current use of channel 99, the Governmental channel, and channel 2 that is used by tctv2, producers who have used channel 2, the Cherry Capital Cable Council, and Friends of TV2.

As of June 30, 2008, the Traverse Area District Library will no longer house tctv2, the Cherry Capital Cable Council will disband, and tctv2’s operations will end. A local group has put together a proposal to continue operating channel 2, the public access channel.

This public forum will be broadcast live on tctv2, and rebroadcast throughout the spring.

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