Community + Access + TV = 35 Years of CTN

Dozens of folks showed up today for Community Television Network‘s 35th anniversary open house, a chance to look back at its roots and celebrate new digs on South Industrial, across from the AATA headquarters.

CTN provided a catered cookout under tents just outside the facility, and staffers were on hand to give tours and answer questions about the studios, equipment and services offered by this cable-access group. Lucy Ann Visovatti (also known as radio personality Lucy Ann Lance), CTN’s assistant manager, gave a touching tribute to Martha Schmidt, who was instrumental in getting CTN off the ground in the early 1970s – making it one of the first cable-access stations in the country. And Roger Fraser, Ann Arbor’s city administrator, spoke of the important role CTN and stations like it play in a democracy, providing a venue for citizens to influence and shape their neighborhoods and beyond.

As in its past, funding and technology challenges remain in CTN’s future. But for CTN junkies – who, like us, need a regular fix of local government meetings and random open mic performances from the comfort of the couch – it’s hard to imagine Ann Arbor without this entity. Given the strides CTN has made over the past 35 years, it’s not hard to believe they’ll be around for years to come.