Television channels, even on public TV, have high barriers to entry. During this crisis, people found a few windows for unorthodox views and programs on public services outside public TV. One option was noncommercial satellite TV channels such as WorldLink and FreeSpeech TV. Another option was public access channels, in localities where the cable company provides such channels as part of its franchise agreement with local government. Public access channels are "video soapboxes" by law, open to anyone in the community who wishes to make a program. Both national organizations such as Paper Tiger, in conjunction with local groups, and local organizations and individuals made programs shown on public access cable.

EXAMPLES

Peace Works Producer Mike Hazard wrote WBTB on 4/20: "PEACE WORKS began when my daughter, a junior in high school, came home last fall and reported that a military tank was recruiting on the grounds of her school. She said she approached the history teacher and the soldier who were manning the tank and asked, respectfully, if either saw a disconnect between the zero weapons tolerance policy in the school and a tank at the school. They went ballistic, verbally abusing her until she cried....this incident in the war at home spurred me to make a half hour video compilation of ten shorts called PEACE WORKS, featuring Robert Bly, Carol Bly, Roy McBride, Jim Northrup, Eugene McCarthy, Thomas McGrath, Diego Vazquez, Mickey Chance, David Bengtson and Mike Hazard. We have been giving it away free to everyone who asks for it...nearly a hundred cable systems across the country have asked for copies of the program, and Free Speech TV and World Link also have copies. More information at The Center for International Education."

Freespeech: War on Iraq
FSTV or Free Speech TV, available on the DISH satellite network and part-time on cable access channels reaching 7 million US homes, runs programs sent in by independent producers making “social, political, cultural, and environmental issue documentaries.” On its website, Freespeech aggregated its programming on Iraq coverage onto one page where browsers can watch clips and read more about the programs. The nonprofit service is foundation supported.

More Info:
Independent Perspectives: War in Iraq

PaperTiger
The nonprofit, volunteer Paper Tiger Television “programs analyze and critique issues involving media, culture and politics.” This nonprofit video collective produces and distributes programming to public access cable channels. Founded in 1981 in New York City, it continues to tackle issues relating to mainstream media and “[explore] the opportunities for alternative communications sources.” In response to the possible war on Iraq, PPTV produced a video called “Re-stating the Union Address” using the “pop-up” video style, shown on cable access channels. After the war began, it created programs on the New York anti-war rally March 22, and committed to producing anti-war analytical and news programming.

Commonwealth Broadband Collaborative On the April 1 edition of "First Tuesday," a program produced through a community technology center consortium in Massachusetts, activists discussed use of the Internet to organize as well as inform.