Mapping Access

The mission of Community Access Television is to
make available a medium of communication that
provides freedom of expression and community awareness
for all local citizens.

In 1979 Doug Wilson, Attorney at Law and Director of “Ozark Legal Services” attended a meeting of the National Association of Community Access Television Stations. He learned that Federal law required every city with a cable system to provide Public, Educational, and Government channels upon request. When he returned to Fayetteville, Mr. Wilson called a meeting of local non-profits, including League of Women Voters and Ozark Guidance Center. Among those present were Norman DeMarco, U of A Drama Department, and Marion Orton. This committee appealed to the City Board and Warner Cable and was granted the authority to establish one station, public access. Since no funds were allocated, the group applied and received a Federal grant for equipment and Warner paid for operating expenses. Accordingly, Fayetteville Open Channel was born April 1, 1980.

Fayetteville Open Channel (FOC) started in Fayetteville at a location on Dickson Street. Then, in the late 1980s FOC moved to Locust Avenue. In April of 1992, FOC became Access 4 Fayetteville. From the beginning board members were elected in order to have a cross section of the community represented, such as the retirement community, education, arts, government, and non-profits. The station then moved to 101 West Rock Street, a facility renovated with a $200,000 grant given by Warner Cable and $70, 000 grant for new equipment. Two more channels were added at this time, Educational and Government in adherence to the PEG guidelines mandated by the Federal Communications Commission.

When Warner’s franchise was renewed in 1995, Access 4 became Community Access Television (CAT) and moved to channel 8. The Cable Company said it would no longer give money for operating expenses, as it was no longer required by Federal legislation and then moved CAT to channel 18. Therefore, the city began allocating operating expenses for public access via the 5% Franchise Fee from cable company profits in return for the cable system’s access to public rights of way to offer citizens of Fayetteville cable television. The City Contract with CAT stipulates the organization supplement 25% of the amount received with fund-raisers. CAT has fulfilled this requirement with fall-fundraising Telethons and our annual Freedom Festival.

In 2005, CAT celebrated 25 years of “Community Building Through Media” as the only 24 hour Community Access Channel in the State of Arkansas. For over twenty years, access television has been the video fabric of Fayetteville, forever documenting for posterity the local arts, music, sports, plays, social issues, religious rallies, and history of the region. Community Access Television is the video soap-box from which the public may exercise their first amendment right of freedom of speech, the foundation of our great country.