Community media television is everyone's channel

Freedom of expression is one of our fundamental rights under our system of government in the United States as stated in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. One of these rights is free speech. Here in the City of Brockton our City government, in the early 1980’s, felt that it was important for all residents to express their point of view through their local community television station. When Continental Cablevision was granted the right to sell cable television service in Brockton the residents were given local channels and access television was born through the start-up of a non-profit access corporation, Brockton Community Cable Television (BCCT).

The Mayor of the City of Brockton has the responsibility of bringing cable television into the City under a contract. Former Mayor David Crosby initiated this process in the early 1980’s by appointing a cable television advisory committee. In their Issuing Authority Report Completed in March 1981 they stated that:

“There will be a permanent, independent, non-profit corporation on cable television which will, among other responsibilities, coordinate and monitor public access to the cable television system.”

BCCT was then organized under Chapter 180 of Mass. General Laws on December 21, 1981.

“The purposes for which the Corporation is formed are: To support directly the production, promotion or acquisition of educational, cultural and informational programming, for the Brockton cable television system and for other purposes consistent with state and federal laws, rules, regulations and policies.”

Since then BCA has existed to fulfill it’s mission:

“To encourage diversity and freedom of expression by citizens in the public, educational and government access community through the provision of training, facilities and cablecast time.”