Public Access 13
Kingston Government 14
Plymouth Government 15

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PACTV?
We are your local Access Television Center serving the communities of Kingston and Plymouth Massachusetts. We provided public and government access programming on Channels 13 and 15 in Plymouth, and Channel 14 in Kingston. PACTV is a First Amendment Forum. Public Access television programming on PACTV is available to every citizen in our community to express their opinions, talk to their fellow townspeople about what is happening in the community, introduce others to their beliefs and hobbies, and help local organizations and groups get information out to the public about their services. Local government meetings are cablecast on our government channels, as well as local events and items of interest to our members and audience. We teach both Basic Studio Production and Basic Field and Editing Classes so that you can make your own television program. Our technical and administrative staff are here to help you get your show out to the community.

How do I get involved?
Becoming a member of PACTV is easy. Membership is open to anyone living in Kingston or Plymouth. Our annual membership is just $30. It covers all the training courses, equipment use, studio use and staff backup. The only extra thing our members buy is video tape. Just fill out a membership form, and drop it off at our office, or mail it in with your check and we’ll sign you up for the next available class. Family memberships are available for $60 per year, and include up to four family members. If you are a business or non-profit organization, you can apply for an organizational membership. Business memberships are $100 per year and include three memberships. Non-profit memberships are $75 per year and also includes three memberships. Members of business or non-profits who reside outside of Kingston or Plymouth are eligible to join and take classes through organizational memberships. Additional memberships in the three categories above are $15 each. If you are a Kingston or Plymouth town employee, you can apply for membership under your town’s group membership for $15 per year.

How can I get my show on TV?
Once you finish your show, PACTV schedules it into a time slot and cablecasts it on Channel 13, the public access channel. We have several open slots available during the daytime and evenings to run special programs and live events. To accommodate new local programs, our schedule is posted in our website, and it is revised every few months. If you have a program that has been produced somewhere else, you can bring it to us and request that it be cablecast. Non-local programming requires a local sponsor to take responsibility for the content of the program.

Is it hard to produce a TV show?
TV production is not as complicated as you might think. The skills needed to produce simple, but effective programs are well within the grasp of most people in the community.
Access centers across the country have people ages 9 to 90, from every educational or career background doing hands-on TV production. The best way to find out whether television production is for you is to try it! For a tour of our facility and to get answers to your questions, call PACTV at (508) 830-6999.

How do I list my event on the Bulletin Board?
To list your organization or group’s events on our Community Bulletin Board, just download one of our Bulletin Board announcement forms, and fill out the information and fax or mail it back to us. We request a lead time of at least 5-7 business days to get your announcement up and running. Bulletin Board announcements run between 12 to 14 hours a day and are a terrific way to publicize your event.

How can my child get involved?
During the summer, we offer a Video Explorer’s Camp for children. During the session, each participant will learn the basic aspects of studio and field production, including camera work, lighting, set design, directing and editing. The camp is topped off with a airing of the show they produced during the session and a cookout for the kids and their parents. This is a great way to get children introduced to video production and Public Access.

How Can They Show That on PACTV?
PACTV is a public access TV station, meaning it is programmed by the residents of Plymouth and Kingston who choose to place programming on one of our three channels. Most of the programming you see on PACTV is actually produced by members of our community -- either private individuals, community-based organizations, or the town government. (Read entire message from the Executive Director)

Mass Access Frequently Asked Questions About Local Access TV