Medford Community Cablevision, Inc.

Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. is an independent non-profit corporation that owns and operates TV3, the public-access television channel serving Medford, Massachusetts. The station was created by mandate of the 1984 Cable Franchise Policy and Communications Act, and it functions as both a production facility and a telecast station. It broadcasts on Comcast channel 3 and is funded with 1% of Comcast's Medford revenue under a contract with the city. Its facilities are located at 5 High Street in Medford Square, under the office of then-U.S. Representative (and present-day U.S. Senator) Ed Markey. The organization is governed by a thirteen-seat Board of Directors. Four members are elected by the station's paid membership, one is appointed by the Mayor, and the remaining seven are appointed by existing board members. Some board members have served for many years. Over the decades, TV3 Medford has aired programming spanning game shows, movie reviews, talk radio, entertainment, music, religion, finance, and politics. In 2010 the station added multi-language programming in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Russian, and unveiled new services including video on demand and 24/7 streaming video on its website. From 2009 to 2011 it featured a children's television block that ran weekdays and weekends from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The station has been recognized by the Alliance for Community Media in 2008 and 2011 for "Overall Excellence in Public Television." In June 2011, it announced Medford Cable News, described as the city's first non-profit broadcast news station. Notable local programming has included Energy Smackdown (2007), a reality game show in which three Medford families competed to reduce home energy use; Inside the Music, produced by saxophonist Deric Dyer; the long-running late-night show Zapp TV, hosted by Gary Zappelli; and Real Grass Real Heroes, hosted by sports writer and television announcer Jim Tuberosa. The station also airs syndicated programs such as Hot & Cold, Saturday Fright Special, and programs created by Robert Greenwald. TV3 has also been the subject of controversy. In the 2000s, critics accused the station of being controlled by a small cabal of insiders. In 2008, General Manager Dawn Natalia resigned. In 2009, an investigating commission found that the station had produced 13 films starring board members while neglecting to broadcast a popular local parade, and recommended that the chairman of the station's board be replaced and that the station reform its finances and management; the commission, presided over by a retired judge, was not empowered to make legally binding rulings. On April 8, 2010, the one-run program Dirty Talk Live: Sex Advice, and Naughty Stories aired at 8:00 p.m. and sparked controversy among residents, politicians, and local media; TV3's Director of Operations Daniel Sarno defended the content, telling Fox News that "anything that is protected under the First Amendment is fair game on public access television."

TV3 is an independent corporation contracted by the City of Medford to provide public cable access. It was founded in 1984, created by mandate of the 1984 Cable Franchise Policy and Communications Act. The station is funded with 1% of Comcast's Medford revenue. Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. is run by a thirteen-seat Board of Directors of whom four are elected by the station's paid membership, one is appointed by the Mayor, and the other seven are appointed by existing board members. Some board members serve for many years. In the 2000s, critics accused the station of being controlled by a small cabal of insiders. In 2008, the station's General Manager Dawn Natalia resigned. In 2009, an investigating commission found that the station had produced 13 films starring board members while neglecting to broadcast a popular local parade, and recommended that the chairman of the station's board be replaced and that the station reform its finances and management; however, the commission, presided over by a retired judge, was not empowered to make legally binding rulings. Over the decades, TV3 Medford has had programming including game shows, movie review, talk radio, entertainment, music, religion, finance, and politics. In 2010, the station added multi-language programming in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Russian. From 2009 to 2011, TV3 Medford featured a children's television block that ran weekdays and weekends from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. The 2007 program Energy Smackdown was a reality game show in which three Medford families competed to reduce home energy use. The station also airs syndicated programs such as Hot & Cold, Saturday Fright Special, and syndicated programs created by Robert Greenwald. In 2010 the station unveiled new services to the community including video on demand and 24/7 streaming video services on its website. Medford Community Cablevision has been recognized by the Alliance for Community Media in 2008 and 2011 for "Overall Excellence in Public Television". In June 2011, the station announced Medford Cable News, the city's first non-profit broadcast news station. Notable guests have appeared on TV3 programs. In 2010, the original program Inside the Music, produced by saxophonist Deric Dyer, featured musician and former SNL singer Christine Ohlman. Deric Dyer has been associated with Tina Turner and Joe Cocker for more than two decades. Long-running controversial late-night show Zapp TV, hosted by Gary Zappelli, was first broadcast live on 40 Canal Street in Medford; since then, the show has tackled many local and mainstream topics, and other notable guests included politician Joseph L. Kennedy. The third sports program to air on TV3, Real Grass Real Heroes, hosted by sports writer and television announcer Jim Tuberosa, features sports figures and sports writers from many generations. In 2010, the program welcomed WBZ-TV sportscaster Bob Lobel, long-time sports announcer and former 1960s Baltimore Colts executive Upton Bell, pro ice hockey player Rick Middleton, and world welterweight boxing champion Tony DeMarco. On April 8, 2010, the one-run program Dirty Talk Live: Sex Advice, and Naughty Stories aired on TV3 at 8:00 p.m. and sparked controversy among residents, politicians, and local media. The program was a live call-in format featuring a sex therapist, a panel of young adults, and a dominatrix. The program was uncensored and unedited which led to TV3 being called out for lewdness. On the screen, there was a still image of two "scantily clad" women kissing. In the corner of the screen, "they had a picture of a squirrel standing erect with a part of the male anatomy sticking out"; audio of two women discussing sexual matters played over the image on the screen. Medford Council President Robert Maiocco claimed "It was flat-out pornographic. This wasn't just regular locker room talk, it was obscene. It's what even the Supreme Court has ruled as being pornographic." Councilor Robert Penta in a rage shouted over a City Council Meeting to the TV3 management that "you are sick to allow that to be broadcast over Channel 3." TV3's Director of Operations Daniel Sarno defended the content of the program, telling Fox News "anything that is protected under the First Amendment is fair game on public access television". The media attention lasted approximately one week.

• 2011

  Station recognized by the Alliance for Community Media for Overall Excellence in Public Television; Medford Cable News announced in June.

• 2010

  Station added multi-language programming and unveiled video on demand and 24/7 streaming video services.

• 2010

  Dirty Talk Live: Sex Advice, and Naughty Stories aired on April 8 and sparked controversy.

• 2009

  Investigating commission found the station produced 13 films starring board members while neglecting a popular local parade, and recommended reforms.

• 2008

  General Manager Dawn Natalia resigned; station recognized by the Alliance for Community Media for Overall Excellence in Public Television.

• 2007

  Energy Smackdown reality game show aired.

• 1984

  TV3 founded by mandate of the 1984 Cable Franchise Policy and Communications Act.

Community public-access television and local media production for Medford, Massachusetts, funded by cable franchise fees and governed by a community board.

• TV3 (Comcast channel 3)

  Public-access television channel serving Medford, Massachusetts.

• Medford Cable News

  The city's first non-profit broadcast news station, announced June 2011.

• Energy Smackdown

  2007 reality game show in which three Medford families competed to reduce home energy use.

• Zapp TV

  Long-running controversial late-night show hosted by Gary Zappelli.

• Real Grass Real Heroes

  Sports program hosted by Jim Tuberosa featuring sports figures and writers.

• Inside the Music

  Original program produced by saxophonist Deric Dyer.

• Insider control accusations

• 2009 investigating commission findings

• Dirty Talk Live controversy

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• Board governance structureOther

• Funding via cable franchise feeOther

1. 1Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2TV3 (Medford, Massachusetts) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
3. 3TV3 official websitetv3medford.org