Note From the President

Yves Grant, President & Chair, NCAC

Hello, I'd like to introduce myself. I was recently elected President of the Newton Communications Access Center (NCAC) Board of Directors. I grew up in Newton and first joined NCAC, or NewTV as it is commonly known, in the early nineties when it was located in Newton Centre. I enjoyed volunteering on shows and dropping by the station to see the exciting things that were going on. I lost touch when I went to school, but NewTV kept on, growing into its current location in the basement of the Hyde Community Centre. I used to go to elementary school in the rooms now occupied by the studio and offices of NewTV. Coming to NewTV is like visiting a familiar place from the past. A few years ago, I returned to volunteering at NewTV, eventually starting my own show and getting involved on the Board of Directors. The more I came to NewTV, the more I got involved.

With the internet being the new communications medium, we should not lose sight of how television shapes our opinions, sometimes in ways we don’t even realize. The power of the image has compelled nations to stop wars and to start them, such as we’ve seen in Vietnam and on September 11^th. It is just as important now as it was in the 1970s when the rules for community media were established. Therefore, it is crucial that communities take advantage of the resources given to them by these non-profit access centers supported by portions of the revenue from cable companies.

One goal for my term of office is to encourage community involvement with NewTV. Being in the basement of the Hyde Community Center may sometimes make us hard to find, but two cable stations cablecast our programs throughout the city of Newton. We are soon getting a third channel, which will nearly double our presence in the community.

I look forward to serving you and the Newton community in my coming term. If you ever want to reach me, you can e-mail me at yvesg@newtv.org or drop a note in the Board inbox at the station. I look forward to our time together!

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