Core Values of Public Access

Media Alliance recently presented a document that contained "core values" for public access television. They pretty much explain themselves and are at the starting point for Access Contra Costa communications policy:

• Public access content is supposed to originate in and meet the needs of local publics as determined by citizen-producers. The role of the public access operator is to provide training and technology resources to enable local content..

• Cable franchise owners derive massive benefit from using a public utility. Switching the public access funding model largely to user fees and philanthropy shifts the funding base from one of guaranteed corporate responsibility onto access users and public philanthropy.