P R E S S   R E L E A S E

Date: June 29, 2007
For Immediate Release

New Bedford Cable Access Wins National Competition - Named “Best Overall” Cable Access Station

New Bedford, Massachusetts- New Bedford Cable Access was named today the winner of the 2007 Hometown Video Award for “Overall Excellence in Public, Educational and Government Access” by the “Alliance for Community Media.”

The 2007 Hometown Video Awards are sponsored by the Alliance for Community Media, an organization that is committed to assuring public access to electronic media. The Alliance advances this goal through public education, a progressive legislative and regulatory agenda, coalition building and grassroots organizing.

The Hometown Video Awards honors and promotes community media and local cable programs that are first distributed on Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) access cable television channels.  The competition is designed to recognize creative programs that address community needs, develop diverse community involvement, challenge conventional commercial television formats, and move viewers to experience television in a different way.

New Bedford Cable Access submitted a video entry which consisted of programming from all three of it’s channels including NBTV 95’s live show from the roof of the Zeiterion Theatre Garage and Lance Gunberg’s Documentary about Hetty Green.  Some Government Access entries included “New Bedford Now & Then”,  “Behind the Badge”, and the “Arts & Culture Show”.  Educational entries included “Making it Happen” and local high school sports.

“We have a small, dedicated staff who work extremely hard to produce quality programming,” said Dan Cabral, NBCA Program Director.  “Often times small organizations don’t receive a lot of attention, so we’re thrilled to be recognized with this award.”

Over the past year, New Bedford Cable Access has significantly increased its coverage of city events and has provided quality programming for the city’s residents since it began in 1994. Mayor Scott W. Lang said of the recognition, “The NBCA staff is committed to providing the finest quality public television to the residents of the city of New Bedford and I am pleased that they have been nationally recognized for their outstanding productions.” He continued, “New Bedford Cable Access is a great way for residents to stay connected with important government and education related activities and also is an outlet for community participation and communication.”

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Elizabeth Treadup (Mayor's Office)

View all articles by Elizabeth Treadup (Mayor's Office)