Cambridge Community Television

CCTV's community-based media center is located in Central Square, the heart and soul of Cambridge, Massachusetts. CCTV provides a public forum for Cambridge residents to participate in both local and global interactions using electronic media. CCTV offers video production workshops, access to equipment, and channel time on three community cable TV channels, plus access to computer hardware, software, training, and the Internet.

Description:
CCTV provides a forum for Cambridge residents to participate in both local and global
interactions using television and the Internet. CCTV offers video production workshops, access
to equipment, and channel time on three cable community channels, and access to computer
hardware, software, training, and the Internet!

Intrinsic to the mission of Cambridge Community Television is the belief that diverse cultural
communities must be given the opportunity to participate fully and equally in public discourse.
As communications technology develops, we see many people being left behind: seniors,
linguistic and cultural minorities, and the poor, who may not have access to the hardware and
training required to be true participants in a global culture. Our experience has taught us how to
overcome the fears of technology and the barriers of language, class, and culture. The lack of
information-gathering and communication skills can have a great impact on people's lives,
economically, culturally, and in terms of the ability to access, use and create information.

History:
Ensuring freedom of expression was the motivation for the progressive and visionary stand
taken by the Federal Communications Commission in the early 1970's, when a decision was
made to require cable operators to provide channel time for community residents to voice their
opinions, uncensored by commercial sponsors or cable company staff. In the twenty years
since, public access channels have provided local residents an electronic venue for political,
cultural, and artistic expression, and the results have allowed for a rich celebration of our
differences, in marked contrast to broadcast television fare.

Contact person: Susan Fleischmann, Executive Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: 617-661-6927

Address:

675 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02215 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.cctvcambridge.org

Directions:

From Boston, come into Central Square, turn right on Prospect Street. The address for CCTV is 675 Mass. Ave, but the actual entrance is located halfway up the block on Prospect Street (left hand side of the street).   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Central Square,   Walk distance (in minutes): 1   Nearest Bus Stop: Central Square, 1 minute walk For maps or information, please see http://www.mbta.com

Last updated on September 8, 2009