Puget Sound Access receives $50,000 grant for upgrades at Carco Theatre
Published 9:34 am Thursday, February 12, 2015
King County Executive Dow Constantine has awarded $300,000 in grant funds to maintain and upgrade the community’s access to four public, educational and government cable channels, including Puget Sound Access in South King County.
“Cable access supports free speech, promotes equity and social justice, and keeps people connected with their local government,” said Constantine in a news release. “Cable access strengthens our democracy.”
The grants to Puget Sound Access, Voice of Vashon, Seattle Community Media, and King County TV range from $50,000 to $125,000. The funds will pay for upgrades to field equipment and delivery systems, and for renovation of existing studios.
Puget Sound Access will receive $50,000 t upgrade producer field equipment, producer post production, delivery, and display systems and to upgrade its new location at Carco Theatre in Renton to better support video production.
Puget Sound Access Serves primarily South King County communities, including Tukwila, Renton, Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Maple Valley, Normandy Park, SeaTac, and surrounding communities.
All four PEG channels provide programming to their communities. Two of them, Puget Sound Access and Seattle Community Media, also offer low-cost public access to video equipment, production facilities, and training so that people can create their own programming.
“These PEG channels provide information opportunities for people by promoting informed communities and continued engagement,” said Bill Kehoe, the Constantine’s Chief Information Officer.
The 1984 Cable Communications Act provides for the County to secure funds for public, education, and government programming as part of its negotiation with Comcast Cable on a new 10-year cable franchise agreement.
King County TV, which serves all of King County, will receive $125,000 to upgrade and replace aging video production equipment, and assist with renovating existing building space.
