A nearly 25-year campaign came to an end today with Mayor Street's announcement this afternoon that public access TV is coming to Philadelphia.
By early next year, area Comcast viewers will be able to watch community-produced programming with channels for youth, interfaith matters, public forums and arts and culture.
"Public access in this city took too long to come, but it's here," Street said during a press conference about a recent agreement reached. To become final and formalized, City Council must approve two ordinances when it returns Thursday from its summer break.
The channels and their programming will be overseen by a 19-member board that will compose the newly-formed Philadelphia Public Access Corp.
The programs will be taped in a studio to be created at the former site of the Widener Library, at 25th and Lehigh streets, which is now vacant. The city will lease the library site to Comcast.
Also as part of the deal, Comcast will make an initial grant of $1.8 million, and another for $900,000, city Managing Director Lori Jones said.
Philadelphia is the last big city to have public access channels. A coalition of more than 80 groups has been pushing for the channels in an effort that began in the early 1980s with former Mayor W. Wilson Goode.
"It's not about who is watching, but about community involvement," said coalition member Gretjen Clausing.
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