Under the direction of the Lockport Community Cable Commission, local cable programming has been a reality in Lockport for the past 27 years. Locally-produced cable programs initially appeared on a single access channel in 1983 and expanded to three full-time channels with the creation of Lockport Community Television, Inc., in 1994. LCTV, a not-for-profit contractual subsidiary to the Cable Commission, is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors, who oversee staff and determine program policies and priorities. A volunteer-based organization, LCTV is completely independent from Time Warner, the cable service provider in Lockport. LCTV currently has more than 100 active volunteers, a full-time staff of 4 and 6 part-time employees/interns.
LCTV’s public, government and educational channels provide programs on a variety of topics, including sports, entertainment, civic affairs, women and minority issues, religion and education. We provide essential health and lifestyle information to the elderly, enable our school districts to communicate effectively with students and parents and bring church services to shut-ins. LCTV’s government programming helps reinforce accountability by serving as an interactive link between elected officials and their constituents. In short, LCTV is firmly committed to the principle that access to information within our community is critical to the quality of life in our community.
LCTV has received numerous national, state and local awards and is considered one of the most active access centers for its market size in the country. LCTV is an active member of the Alliance for Community Media, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Administrators and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters.
Eligibility is a key issue for those interested in becoming involved in LCTV, while anyone willing to travel to our location and pay training fees is encouraged to attend our training classes and assisting other volunteers the ability to produce and sponsor programs for airing on our cable channels are based on the following eligibility requirements:
*Service Area
In order to produce or sponsor a program on LCTV you must either reside, work in , go to school in or be a member of a non-profit organization serving the city or town of Lockport and want to produce a program about that organization.
*Age
Producers must also be over the age of 18 or have a signed letter from your parent or guardian. Those under the age of 18 can attend LCTV's highly acclaimed Summer Youth Training Program.
*Programming for Our Channels
All equipment and facilities must be used for programs that will appear on channels 20, 21 or 22. All volunteers must sign a release and indemnification form form prior to their program airing, releasing LCTV from all content responsibility that may arise out of your program. (ie. copyright infringement, slander, obscenity, etc.)
*Non-Profit Programming
All programs airing on LCTV must also be non-profit in nature, no commercial programming or requesting of donations etc. is allowed on our community access channels.
*Certified Volunteers
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, each LCTV volunteer must attend training classes and become certified to operate each piece of production equipment they wish to utilize.