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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Wilmington City Council seeks input on public access TV channel

By Takkk (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

Wilmington City officials are considering whether to create a second public access TV channel and they’re actively seeking input from the community.  WHQR’s Rachel Lewis Hilburn reports that the discussion took shape after one local non-profit launched a campaign.

The nonprofit group -- Southeastern Alliance for Community Change -- calls itself a community social justice organization.  And members of the group have been pushing for a public access channel that allows content generated by community members, local churches, and other groups. 

The city already has one public government channel on TimeWarner, and according to the City Attorney, there is some dispute about whether the city is entitled to another channel.  There’s also a possibility that the effort could face legal challenges.

If the city did take on another channel, it would be legally responsible for all content and operations, even if the channel was managed by an outside group – according to city officials.  And because the channel would be public, almost all types of content would be permissible in order to meet free speech rights.  

A public hearing will be held Thursday, November 15th at City Hall at 6 PM.  

Rachel hosts and produces CoastLine, an award-winning hourlong conversation featuring artists, humanitarians, scholars, and innovators in North Carolina. The show airs Wednesdays at noon and Sundays at 4 pm on 91.3 FM WHQR Public Media. It's also available as a podcast; just search CoastLine WHQR. You can reach her at rachellh@whqr.org.