What is Public Access and PATV15?

COX COMMUNICATIONS is committed to providing the facilities and resources to make the Public Access channel YOUR channel- a chance for creative expression and an opportunity for you to educate, inform and entertain your friends and neighbors. When you think of public access shows you may recall what some might deem the two most famous public access shows to ingrained in pop culture, Saturday Night Live’s fanciful sketch Wayne’s World and the equally comical Tome Green Show. Like these examples p ublic access television allows members of your community to use our broadcast facilities and equipment to create and cablecast their own content. This is as service that is provided free of charge on a first-come, first-served, non-discriminatory basis. That’s why we say: You Produce it. We’ll air it. COX continuously strives to promote greater use of Public Access by individuals and local user groups, by providing the best resources and expertise to the communities we serve, so their members can produce meaningful community programming. In addition to public access Cox Communications government and educational access channels located on cable poitions 14 and 16 respectively. For those looking to undertake a more commercial venture, Cox also provides leased access television, which allows for such profit driven programming. PATV 15 is the name for Cox Communications’ public access stations throughout Connecticut, because all our public access channels can be found statewide on cable position 15.

Where is PATV 15 located?

PATV 15 facilities are located in three towns throughout CT, but serves the surrounding communities in designated franchise areas.

The Cheshire facility is located at 1701 Highland Ave. (Route10) and serves the following towns: Meriden, Southington & Cheshire

The Enfield facility is located at 5 Niblick Road and serves the following towns: Enfield, E. Granby, E. Windsor, Granby, Hartland, Somers, Suffield, Union, Stafford Springs, Windsor Locks, and Holland, Mass .

The Manchester facility is located at 801 Parker Street and serves the following towns: Manchester, Glastonbury, Newington, South Windsor, Wethersfield, and Rocky Hill.

What does these facilities do?

These facilities house your public access TV stations and production and edit studios. In addition, your PATV15 staff will train you on the techniques and the equipment you'd use to create and produce your own shows, and then we'll air it on channel 15.

Is there a fee for any of this?

No, all of the services we provide are free of charge on a first-come, first-served, non-discriminatory basis.

What do we have to do to become public access producers?

If you live in any of the franchise towns you are half way there. Then, simply complete a series of trainings and follow the guidelines detailed in your public access handbooks, which are available on our website: www.patv15.com

As a producer, what are my responsibilities?

In order to qualify for use of equipment and or studio facilities users MUST attend basic television production workshops that cover various aspects of producing, utilizing basic production equipment and techniques . The producer is responsible for obtaining all the necessary rights and clearances for copyrighted material and permission to transmit it over the cable system.

Are there any restrictions for what I can air on PATV15?

There are few restrictions as to what can be aired on PATV15. Simple guidelines for programming include: NO COMMERCIALISM; NO PROMOTION OF LOTTERY MATERIAL, GIFT ENTERPRISES OR SIMILAR SCHEMES; NO LIBELOUS, SLANDEROUS OR ILLEGAL MATERIAL; NO OBSCENE MATERIAL, SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONDUCT, PROFANE LANGUAGE OR MATERIAL SOLICITING OR, PROMOTING UNLAWFUL CONDUCT. All guidelines for production are detailed in the handbooks for the respective franchise areas.