"Authenticity may be "dangerous and expensive," per Tina Fey, for those itching to bask in the harsh spotlight of mainstream celebrity. But it's still precious currency to creators determined to find an audience at all. Long before the internet rendered it possible for anyone with wifi to have their voice heard, the first wave of "electronic democracy" was public-access television, a first-come, first-served platform for strangers to communicate with the general public - or, more accurately, anyone savvy, curious, or bored enough to tune in."
"David Shadrack Smith's archival documentary " Public Access " charts the medium's history in the heart of New York City, where the world's first channel debuted in 1971. On the far reaches of the television dial, authentic self-expression reigned supreme, free from the confines of commercial standards and practices. With the help of extensive contextualizing voiceover from ex-Manhattan Cable Television staffers and principal artists, "Public Access" shuffles through a bunch of programs in roughly chronological order to epitomize the medium's uninhibited identity."
""TV Party," ex-Factory member Glenn O'Brien's ramshackle talk show co-hosted by Blondie's Chris Stein and directed by Amos Poe, shone a light on New and No Wave culture and gave viewers the first glimpse of Jean-Michel Basquiat's epigrammatic artwork. "The Grube Tube," an unfiltered live call-in show for eccentric Manhattanites, and "Squirt TV," a pop-culture round-up hosted by a teenage Jake Fogelnest out of his bedroom, exemplified public access' handcrafted spirit - how anyone could be on television and reach like-minded outsiders."
Public-access television emerged as the first wave of electronic democracy, offering a first-come, first-served platform for strangers to reach anyone curious enough to tune in. The world's first channel debuted in New York City in 1971. On the far reaches of the dial, authentic self-expression prevailed, unfettered by commercial standards and practices. Programs such as TV Party showcased New and No Wave culture and provided early exposure to Jean-Michel Basquiat's artwork. The Grube Tube's unfiltered live call-in format and Squirt TV's bedroom-hosted pop-culture round-up exemplified the medium's handcrafted spirit. An FCC mandate to serve local community interest evolved into a venue for outré programming.
Read at IndieWire
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