PCTV provides members with tools to be able to create their own programming. We are confident that given the right training, equipment and opportunities, our members can make quality programming. So, no, we cannot do it for you, but we will help you along the way.

PCTV provides an opportunity for local middle- and high-school students, as well as college students from the area, to learn about television production.  Interns are welcome to apply for the opportunity to be involved in their chosen field of study.

No.  We are not a Pittsfield city department, and there is no city budget line item devoted to paying for PCTV.  The Cable Company is contractually obligated to fund access television locally, with 5% of their gross revenue.  Since the cable company uses Pittsfield’s ‘public rights of way’ to run their cables and make a profit from that, federal communication law mandates that they provide this local access.  Funding PCTV is how they meet this requirement.

The public access station is an electronic forum for free expression by the residents of Pittsfield. The First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees this freedom of speech. Any resident of Pittsfield is free to say or do anything on public access television as long as the content is not illegal or obscene.

PCTV occasionally publishes an e-newsletter which is emailed to all our members, and others who opt-in to the newsletter list. This newsletter, called the “Monitor,” gives members a comprehensive overview of past and future events and important information that members will find interesting.

For more immediate news, people can “like” our Facebook page.  It can be found at www.facebook.com/pittsfieldtv.

The interactive program schedule is available on our website for Access Pittsfield; Pittsfield ETV; and Citylink.  On the ‘watch’ tab, find the channel you want, then click “Show Schedule” for the latest listings.  Or, click “Show Search & Video On-Demand” to get more information about a particular show, including a link to watch the program on your device (available for many shows).

PCTV will only post messages of non-profit and community organizations. Messages will air two weeks prior to the event and will be taken down. Include all the information about the event as well as a contact number. The PCTV website has a form that can be filled out and sent directly. You can also email your message to us directly.

To get an already-made, not-for-profit community program on PCTV’s public access channel, Access Pittsfield, you must reside in Pittsfield or have someone from Pittsfield agree to be the ‘Producer of Record.’ All program content is the responsibility of the producer, and must meet the programming rules shown in our full Operating Rules & Procedures. There is no cost for placing a program on the air in this fashion. Once the show is accepted, the producer must sign a Producer Program Agreement Form.

If you would like to create a program at PCTV, you will need to live or work in Pittsfield, or be retired from working in Pittsfield, and sign up as a member. After you sign up, you will have to schedule training to learn the equipment (studio, portable, editing, etc., depending on the type of show you would like to make). At this point you will have the tools to become a show producer.

Although PCTV doesn’t have an exact number of viewers, we know that Pittsfield’s population is about 42,000 people, and there are about 18,000 subscribers including homes and businesses.  Additionally, people in Dalton and Richmond receive our channels because of a grandfathered arrangement from the early days of cable television.

Membership rates for individuals in Pittsfield are $15 per year, and family membership is $25 per year. Retirees from Pittsfield are $5 per year.  For qualified “associate” members (outside Pittsfield but within Berkshire County) the rates are $40 per individual and $70 per family.  We offer a Group membership, which covers 5 individuals for $50, and an Organization membership, 20 individuals for $100.  Contact us for details and restrictions on those, as well as make arrangements for organizations larger than 20 individuals.

Pittsfield Community Television encourages all residents of Pittsfield to create programming on their own. We understand individuals have busy schedules and lives, so even though PCTV will not send staff to record your event, we will help you find volunteers who will. If you want to record the event yourself, PCTV will be happy to have you as a member and provide you with training. Just make sure the event doesn’t promote a profit-making product, service or trade.

Anyone may request a copy of PCTV programming.  The cost is $15 per DVD, except for some specially-packaged programming, which costs $20.  Copies of programming are intended for personal use only, and cannot be displayed publicly, uploaded to the internet, duplicated or resold.  They also cannot be incorporated in other programming without written consent from PCTV.

PCTV makes professional equipment available to our members under the condition they are creating programming for the purpose of airing on our channels and not for profit making under any circumstance.

We have a page on this site dedicated to the most recently played songs on the bulletin boards of our three channels. Additionally, we have special Twitter feeds dedicated to tracking the songs from Access Pittsfield, Pittsfield ETV and Citylink.

The Cable Company is contractually obligated to dedicate 5% of its gross revenue exclusively toward the purpose of funding local public, education and government access television.   Pittsfield Community Television uses that money, along with money it raises in other ways, to fund the operations and equipment needs of the organization.