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The idea for the project, "Southwark.TV", began its path towards the internet in 1997. As Chris Haydon created Community TV Trust on the back of his career in broadcast television in Britain, it became clear that local media had yet to be fully realised.
In USA there is Public Access TV, delivered to towns and cities on a local area basis via the cable systems which operate commercially but are legally obliged to support a local TV station and service. In the UK the only working models for community media were in the form of small versions of commercial broadcasters.
Community TV Trust decided it would not seek to emulate the broadcasters and determined to look for other methods of creating workable projects.
Launching and running "Southwark.TV" began with a Mapping exercise, led on to a Pilot phase and Review. At the beginning of January 2004 there were over 30 signed up partners opening up sections of the website. The target of 50 partners was reached in October 2004. In addition Southwark.TV is creating formal contractual links with local filmmakers whose work will be hosted here and featured in local screening events that are held on a regular basis.
Overseas partners are being welcomed - currently there are four, though only a small number will be invited to contract with Community TV Trust and granted their own section of the site.
The content management system designed by Singernet has proved to be a success and is clearly manageable for those with little IT experience and little IT confidence.
The project's early stages were funded by Southwark Council's Education Department with LSC money. Community TV Trust owes a debt of gratitude to Sam Eastop at Southwark Council for giving the green light to the idea back in September 2002. Quite a lot has happened since then.
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Peckham
A Vision
Engaging local people
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