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ARTICLE: Public-Access TV Fights for Relevance in the YouTube Age
by Mike Rosen-Molina, 12- 17, 2008
Public-access television is a sometimes bizarre world where anyone with the time and inclination can appear on television.
In an age when it's increasingly easy for amateur filmmakers, citizen journalists, and the general public to distribute videos online, is there any point in having a public-access cable channel? Some argue that public-access television has outlived its usefulness for this reason: Podcasting and online video have effectively eliminated the need to reserve television slots for public comment.
What is Public-Access TV?
Public-access television came about with the rise of cable television in the late '70s and early '80s. In exchange for the rights to lay cable wires on public land, cable companies were required to donate a portion of their revenue to provide facilities and airtime to allow public comment.

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