| Type | Private, Non-Profit |
|---|---|
| Genre | Television |
| Headquarters | Medford, Massachusetts, USA |
| Area served | City of Medford |
| Owner(s) | Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. |
| Employees | 5 |
| Website | http://tv3medford.org |
TV3, owned and operated by Medford Community Cablevision, Inc. is Medford, Massachusetts' award-winning Public-access televisionstation. It was created by mandate of the 1984 Cable Franchise Policy and Communications Act. The station's current facilities are located at 5 High Street, under Congressman Ed Markey's office in Medford Square. Medford Community Cablevision serves the City of Medford, Massachusetts and oversees the community's public access television on Comcast channel 3. Medford Community Cablevision functions as both a production facility as well as a telecast station.[1] In 2010 the station unveiled new services to the community including video on-demand and 24/7 streaming video services on its company website.
Medford Community Cablevision has been internationally recognized by the Alliance for Community Media in 2008 and 2011 for "Overall Excellence in Public Television"; the highest award presented to a public access facility.[2] In June 2011 the station announced Medford Cable News, the cities first non-profit broadcast news station.
TV3 has faced a great deal of controversy and has been criticized for its prolific Government-access television (GATV) programming and tumultuous relationship with local politicians and city government.[3]
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According to the Medford Transcript, TV3 Medford and the Medford City Council have been at "war" for years where the interpretation of the first amendment has been debated more than once since the formation of the organization in 1984.[4]
In 2008, Mayor Michael J. McGlynn ordered a financial audit and public hearing to evaluate the organization's business practices. The city paid $4,000 to Judge Marie O'Jackson (ret.) to oversee the evaluation and to author an official report with recommendations to the Mayor.[5] More than two years later, in 2011, the Mayor still has not yet released the details of the report or the recommendations made by Judge Marie O'Jackson. The board of directors of TV3 Medford claim they were not given a fair hearing since Judge Marie O'Jackson threw the company's attorney and sole representative out of the council chambers before defending the corporation, accusing him of "heckling a speaker".[6] It was at this time that the former station manager publicly announced her resignation because she felt the hearing was "clearly a witch hunt from the start".[6] The management and its constituents publicly announced that they would not attend the public hearing because they had no intention of entertaining a "kangaroo court".[7]
In 2010, Mayor McGlynn was accused by local press of having "secret" meetings with the board of directors of Medford Community Cablevision to discuss potential remedies to the Judge's report prior to its public release. The Medford Transcript considered this information "Breaking News." Mayor McGlynn and TV3 were not able to confirm if these accusations were true. The alleged "secret" meetings took place in the Vino Room of Regina Pizzeria in Medford, MA.[8]
On April 8, 2010 the one-run program "Dirty Talk: Sex Advice, and Naughty Stories" aired on TV3 at 8:00PM and sparked a whirlwind of controversy amongst residents, politicians, and local media. The program was a live call-in format featuring a sex therapist, a panel of young adults, and a real dominatrix. The program was entirely uncensored and unedited which led to TV3 being called out for lewdness.[9] 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.[10]
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.”.[9] 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." Director of Operations for TV3, 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".[11] Sarno told WHDH-TV 7 News in a report that despite the controversy, TV3's viewership figures spiked to an all-time record and was actually receiving calls demanding more programs like "Dirty Talk" on TV3.[12]
Comments by followers of Barstool Sports - Boston echoed Sarno's acknowledgment in defending the content.[13]
The controversial media attention lasted approximately one week and at the end of its stint, "Dirty Talk" and TV3 made top story on CBS affiliate WBZ-TV, NBC affiliate WHDH-TV, and Fox News affiliate WFXT. The station's president Frank Pilleri also appeared on WBZ (AM)'s radio program "Nightside with Dan Rea.
Over the past 26 years, TV3 Medford has been home to a wide variety of programming. Genres include game show, movie review, talk radio, entertainment, music, religion, finance, and politics. In 2010 the station added new multi-language programming in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Russian.
On June 1, 2009, TV3 Medford began featuring a children's television block that will run weekdays and weekends from 7am to 10am. The children's programming spans a wide variety of genres, including a popular Canadian program, Under The Umbrella Tree. Under the Umbrella Tree is a Canadian children's television series created by Noreen Young that originally aired on CBC from 1986–1993. The show was produced by CBC and Noreen Young Productions, and also later by Disney Channel.
The station has also been noted for airing syndicated programs such as "Hot & Cold," "Saturday Fright Special,"[14][15] and syndicated programs created by Robert Greenwald.
The company has announced that starting May 2011, the station will be broadcasting a live satellite feed of the Al Jazeera English News Network on Mondays thru Thursdays from 11pm to 7am.
TV3 has seen many notable guests and hosts over recent years including musicians, sports legends, hosts, and radio personalities. In 2010, the original program "Inside The Music," produced by saxophone legend, Deric Dyer, featured award winning musician and former SNL singer Christine Ohlman.[16] Deric Dyer has been associated with Tina Turner and Joe Cocker for more than two decades.
Long-running controversial late-night show, "Zapp TV," has been turning heads ever since the first live broadcast on 40 Canal Street in Medford.[17] Since then, the show has tackled every local and mainstream topic imaginable. In 2010, the show featured legendary WBCN radio personality Charles Laquidara and Mark Paranteau.[18] Other notable guests include musician Steven Paul Perry and politician Joseph L. Kennedy.[19]
The third sports program to ever air on TV3, "Real Grass Real Heroes," hosted by sports writer and television announcer Jim Tuberosa,[20] 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.
TV3 is a past awards winner from the National Alliance for Community Media. In 2008, Medford Community Cablevision won the award for "Overall Excellence in Public Access" with an annual operating budget of $200,000 or less.[21] In 2009, the Alliance for Community Media awarded Tristan Dyer, a TV3 member, "Best Animated Short Film". The Alliance for Community Media also honored TV3 for its outstanding dedication to public access in the city of Medford.[22]
TV3 is the Alliance for Community Media's 2011 international winner for "Overall Excellence in Public Television."[2] This is Medford Community Cablevision's second time winning this award in three years. The ACM represents over 3000 television stations worldwide.
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