The mission of Berks Community Television is to enhance the unity and strength of the community by providing:

§ a medium for community dialogue and educational opportunities
§ a source of information of local, national and international origin
§ a forum for the exchange of ideas on issues and topics of community interest.

Description:
BCTV is carried as a full-time basic channel to over 100,000 households in 65 municipalities in Berks County on the Comcast and Service Electric Cablevision systems. Over 1,000 live programs are produced each year on BCTV, covering everything from local candidate forums and live election returns to national issues such as race, campaign finance reform and land use, area arts and culture, and youth issues.
Programming takes place on a daily basis. Live programs are cablecast on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 PM until 10 PM; Tuesday evenings from 5 PM until 10 PM; Thursday and Friday mornings from 10 AM until 1 PM. Our facilities include two three-camera television studios and three editing facilities. In addition to our downtown Reading location, BCTV has the capability to originate live programming from remote locations in the city and around the county.

History:
Berks Community Television began in 1976 as a National Science Foundation-funded experiment in the use of interactive two-way cable television for senior citizens. The experiment was administered by New York University's Alternate Media Center and Graduate School of Public Administration for eighteen months. The NYU-Reading Consortium was created with the cooperation, support and participation of the city of Reading, Berks County Senior Citizens Council, the Reading Housing Authority, and Comcast (formerly Time Warner/BerksCable). Berks Community Television was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization when the federally-funded experiment ended in 1977, and has been a pioneer in the uses of technology to facilitate dialogue among diverse segments of the community and to engage, inform and educate the community about issues of local, national and global importance.

Contact people:

Ann Sheehan, Executive Director, 610-374-3065, (email) John Furdyna, Volunteer/Production Coordinator, 610-374-3065, (email) William Martin, General Manager, 610-374-3065, (email)

Office fax number: 610-374-3890

Address:

645 Penn Street Reading, PA 19601 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.bctv,org

Directions:

BCTV is located on the first floor of the former Exide Building in downtown Reading, at the northeast corner of 7th & Penn Streets. The railroad tracks substitute for 7th Street. We are situated diagonally across from the. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: BARTA stops across the street ., n/a minute walk

Miscellaneous Information

Youth Volunteer Opportunities
	Yes