NewTV is a non-profit Newton-based organization dedicated to providing the diverse Newton community with a platform for opinions, news and local information not generally available from commercial or public media. NewTV also offers training, a media facility and content distribution while supporting the First Amendment right to free speech of the Newton community.

Residents of the City of Newton, members of Newton-based non-profit organizations, employees of Newton businesses and City of Newton employees are eligible to use NewTV. This includes free use of TV production equipment and facilities, cable TV channel time and training in TV production, media literacy and Internet access. Anyone wishing to use NewTV facilities must become a member of NewTV for a small annual fee.

NewTV features over 20 classes each quarter, and also host several additional workshops throughout the year focusing on a range of topics. To use NewTV's equipment, you must first be a member in good standing and have attended our monthly Orientation session. You can then choose to take any class in four of our production tracks: Studio Production, Field Production, Post Production, or other media related workshops. You may also take any of our other computer-based or furthering education classes.

History of NewTV

In the 20 years since NewTV's inception, the organization has experienced remarkable growth and expansion of its production services and equipment. Before breaking ground in 1991 as NewTV at 90 Lincoln Street, Continental Cable held control over local access facilities and channels throughout the 80s. Mayor Theodore Mann had been traveling to cities throughout the country and saw how communities started independent public access television stations, then sought to do the same in Newton. By 1990, Mayor Mann had organized several people from the community to establish NewTV's first Board of Directors and charged them with finding a location and hiring a staff to train the community.

On June 7, 1992, NewTV opened its doors to a new facility located on Lincoln Street in the basement of the Hyde Community Center and resided there for 15 years. Starting with its first channel (formerly NewTV 13), NewTV quickly expanded to its current lineup of three individual channels: Community, Education and Government. NewTV also produces Newton News, the long established, flagship program of the station since 1994. With the expansion of the channels and increasing demand from the community, NewTV moved from Lincoln Street to 23 Needham Street in 2006 to a larger, more modern facility. Even though the equipment and faces have changed over the years, the mission of NewTV has remained the same; provide the community with the access to equipment and training and the means to relay their message or idea.

Programming

NewTV operates three separate television channels, each designated for either public, educational, or governmental content.

The Community Channel showcases programming produced or sponsored by Newton community members by giving them a medium for their vision and ideas to be exhibited. It also serves as the electronic forum for free expression by the residents of Newton. In an age of media takeovers, local community media centers remain one of the few forums for free and open speech, accessible to all.

The Education Channel is the showcase for the talent of all public and private schools in Newton. Programs are produced by students, parents, school administrators, student interns and Education Channel staff. Programs are monitored for their educational content by the channel coordinator and therefore it is not a public forum.

The Government Channel provides a source of unbiased information with gavel-to-gavel public municipal meeting coverage. Working collaboratively with municipal and state departments, our programs focus on veterans, seniors and the many issues that affect our city. Several of our programs produced at NewTV are distributed to other government access stations across the Commonwealth. This network of stations serves as a vital resource to many communities, highlighting state programs and initiatives.